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iOS 16 beta testers discover Switch controller support

It would appear that a sneaky gift in Apple iOS 16's upcoming bag of features is the inclusion of native Nintendo Switch Joy Con and Pro Controller support.

TJ Denzer

June 7, 2022 9:10 AM

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Gaming on mobile devices is one of the most widespread markets in the entire world with much of the Far East having already acclimated fully to the trend while the West catches up a bit. However, having your favorite input for a mobile game is still tricky, depending on whether your device supports your controller. Apple is expanding its support and, surprisingly, Nintendo Switch controllers appear to be on the menu for the upcoming iOS 16 as beta testers recently observed.

The apparent discovery of upcoming Nintendo Switch controller support was discovered by iOS 16 beta user Riles Testut, as reported by The Verge. According to Testut, iOS 16 features nevere-before-seen support for Nintendo Switch Joy Con and Pro Controller wireless connections. In Testut’s tweet, we see his phone’s Bluetooth menu, as well as a controller input menu in which a Switch Pro Controller is recognized. Such as the case, it seems as though mobile users may very well be able to use Switch controllers with iPhones when iOS 16 launches.

Switch controller support is quite the sneaky upgrade for iOS 16. During the recent WWDC 22 keynote presentation, Apple mostly focused on features such as improvements to the lock screen and the updates to Messages that will include new edit, unsend, and mark unread functions. However, having more ways to interact with games via various controllers and inputs is always a good thing.

Apple itself hasn’t confirmed support for Nintendo Switch controllers via its mobile devices, but if it is indeed coming in iOS 16 (and not just something strictly confined to the beta), it’s another reason to be excited for the upcoming operating system upgrade. As we await further details on the upcoming iOS 16, stay tuned to Shacknews for launch dates, patch notes, and further details as they become available.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.