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Apple patents game controller and console remote

Console-style gaming may be coming to iOS. A new patent application published today shows the company considering the use of a typical dual-analog controller to interface with Apple TV and other iOS devices.
Andrew Yoon
19
Console-style gaming may be coming to iOS. A new patent application published today shows the company considering the use of a typical dual-analog controller to interface with Apple TV and other iOS devices. The documented controller looks very similar to Sony's DualShock, and offers two analog sticks, four shoulder buttons, and four face buttons (in addition to possible Start and Select buttons). A diagram explicitly shows it communicating with an iPhone.

Will Apple make an official iController?

In addition to having controller support, the patent (via GI.biz) also details the possibility of turning the iPhone into a universal remote, one that can operate with video game consoles. The diagram uses a system that looks remarkably similar to an Xbox 360.

What is this iPhone doing to that Xbox?

As with all patents, none of the ideas contained in this application may come to fruition. However, it shows that Apple has a vested interest in gaming. If Apple TV were to offer full controller support and more traditional games, it would certainly encroach into territory that the big 3 are already viciously competing over.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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  • Shacknews legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
    reply
    July 26, 2012 1:45 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Apple patents game controller and console remote.

    Console-style gaming may be coming to iOS. A new patent application published today shows the company considering the use of a typical dual-analog controller to interface with Apple TV and other iOS devices.

    • Kub666 legacy 10 years
      reply
      July 26, 2012 1:56 PM

      Next week - Apple sues Sony for using a gamepad.

      • homeboyJim legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        July 26, 2012 1:57 PM

        And M$ for using a remote.

      • daggot legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        July 26, 2012 4:11 PM

        To be followed by Apple gets a patent covering all forms of entertainment, and a 2nd patent covering all forms of communications. Sues everyone, specially anyone NOT using Apple products.

    • theDrMikey legacy 10 years
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      July 26, 2012 1:56 PM

      between this, ouya, steambox, etc. it feels like the small game console world is about to get crazy

    • Beady legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      July 26, 2012 1:56 PM

      Quick read seems to indicate they are also talking about using NFC/RFID to pair a phone or controller to whatever device they want to control. The NFC/RFID chip would tell the iPhone/controller what protocol to use.

      Which is kinda clever I guess. Better than holding down buttons on different devices and waiting for them to find each other.

      • Conan legacy 10 years legacy 20 years mercury ultra mega
        reply
        July 26, 2012 4:18 PM

        Hardly seems patent worthy, though, given it's exactly the sort of thing NFC was designed for.

    • [deleted] 355768971 legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      July 26, 2012 2:04 PM

      [deleted]

    • Downforce legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      July 26, 2012 2:05 PM

      well now MS is going to be sued by apple, so is sony/nintendo/madcatz/etc etc etc :(

    • DinK legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      July 26, 2012 2:14 PM

      Apple seems like a company that should make a console. It would be cool to get an excellent $200 box from them but I have zero interest in getting a new TV with their shit built in.

      • [deleted] 2048834275 legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        July 26, 2012 2:17 PM

        [deleted]

        • Mad Brahmin Disease legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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          July 26, 2012 2:31 PM

          But they have a huge game library. iOS 6 is already enabling apps to be easier to scale to bigger screens and screen ratios. If they release an official controller and bundle it with a beefier Apple TV, it could do for iOS what OUYA is going to do for Android.

      • Evan_C legacy 10 years
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        July 26, 2012 3:29 PM

        Apple did make a console... it was one of the worst ever produced. Was insanely overpriced and most of the games for it were "edutainment". I worked at a store that stocked them, never sold one.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Bandai_Pippin

      • creeping-judas legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
        reply
        July 26, 2012 5:49 PM

        LOL at $200 console from Apple.

        It'd be built from brushed aluminum, cost $800, require an iphone for a controller* (Sold separately) and it'd periodically forget what games you've bought or at least where they are located.

        Also there'd be a new one every eight months.

        I'm only slightly joking. I don't think Apple could slow down enough to comfortably mesh with the average console product cycle time frames. They'd release two or three pieces of hardware over the development cycle of a single game.

        This isn't even really a criticism, it's just... I don't think their business philosophy overall fits with what is historically a six to eight year product cycle. They're too into the OOOH SHINY factor.

        *A controller that you could slap your iphone or ipod touch into would be pretty pimp obviously. Sorta a modular, better performing WIIu type dealio. Then again the first time you ragechuck your controller it'd be a real bummer. NO APPLECARE FOR YOU.

      • Volatus32x legacy 10 years
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        July 27, 2012 5:31 AM

        A $200 console from apple? I think not.

        • abrasion legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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          July 27, 2012 5:34 AM

          More like $2000 and it only has 2 buttons and that amazing innnovation by them (the first people with a 2 button controller!@!!) means they can sue a lot of people.


          Apple! Amazing, incredible, incredible, amazing, just great, incredible, amazing.

          • Volatus32x legacy 10 years
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            July 27, 2012 9:56 AM

            The PS3 on release was $599 and people paid it...Apple would charge in the $1000+ range and people will pay it.

    • radio_babylon legacy 10 years
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      July 26, 2012 2:18 PM

      pretty sure they wont be able to sell this, seeing as it looks like a dualshock and xbox. thats how this patent litigation stuff works, right?

    • pizzaput legacy 10 years
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      July 26, 2012 2:25 PM

      I don't think the PS controller and Xbox are parts of the patent, they're just there depiction of the patented method for interaction with such devices.

    • holinka legacy 10 years
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      July 26, 2012 2:31 PM

      I just need a bluetooth controller for my ipad and I am 100% good thanks. With Airplay streaming to AppleTV, I do not see why we wouldn't see ports of traditional console games to the iPad (or iphone I guess).

      • InfernoAblaze legacy 10 years
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        July 26, 2012 4:09 PM

        Exactly, no reason that portable devices won't be powerful enough to run console games in the future. If the next console cycle is too long they might just lose the market to a new tablet/pc/console/phone/thingy.

      • Halen legacy 10 years legacy 20 years mercury super mega
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        July 26, 2012 4:21 PM

        Because we won't see the kind of power the next gen consoles will have in that small of form factor for quite some time.

    • Wombat Woo legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      July 26, 2012 4:53 PM

      In a way Nintendo is the Apple of gaming, but they are nowhere near as big of the dicks that Apple can be.

      • Conan legacy 10 years legacy 20 years mercury ultra mega
        reply
        July 26, 2012 4:56 PM

        Not today, but in the 80s they pulled quite a few dick moves. Requiring developer exclusivity, shit with retailers, etc.

        • mwasher legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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          July 26, 2012 4:59 PM

          and now... Nintendo Co. reported a net loss of 17.2 billion yen for the April-June

        • Wombat Woo legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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          July 26, 2012 5:00 PM

          Too true. They took advantage, but the gaming scene overall was chaos during that time with no players on the scene.

      • Postal legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        July 26, 2012 5:14 PM

        Apple wouldn't make people use friend codes and rely only on first-party games to sell a system

      • derelict515 legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        July 26, 2012 5:39 PM

        they also still haven't figured out shit like how the internet works. Stuff other companies did 5+ years go.

    • Rag and Bone Man legacy 10 years
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      July 26, 2012 4:58 PM

      How the fuck do these patents get approved????

      Prior Art and obvious. WTF!?!

      • Wombat Woo legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        July 26, 2012 5:01 PM

        Whichever way the wind blows that particular day.

      • eoladis legacy 10 years
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        July 26, 2012 5:38 PM

        The patent is not approved, the article is only talking about an application. In fact, it is currently in the stage where it is examined for prior art and other bits.

        • Rag and Bone Man legacy 10 years
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          July 26, 2012 5:51 PM

          While that is good news that it is only an application, I don't have much faith in the patent office to actually figure this one out.

      • Kub666 legacy 10 years
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        July 27, 2012 12:48 AM

        I would say it is entirely possible that the patent people are morons or that Apple pays them under the table. Or - most probably - that patent laws are horribly outdated now and were not designed to apply to current technology and market.

      • zakk legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        July 27, 2012 1:50 AM

        it's not even a patent for 'a controller' . it's more involved than that. That 'more involved' bit may or may not be patentable, but it's not simply 'hey guys, you can control stuff with this thing!'


        You know what's worse than the current patent landscape? The state of reporting on it.

    • the archvile legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      July 26, 2012 5:42 PM

      Come on, Apple, this is nowhere near as fun as the Nintendo Horse Bag. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9nps26fRsQ

    • RuskiSnajper legacy 10 years
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      July 27, 2012 1:35 AM

      LoL this is a joke!

      • RuskiSnajper legacy 10 years
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        July 27, 2012 1:36 AM

        nintendo can simply block the access from any apple stuff controlling their console

    • abrasion legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      July 27, 2012 1:57 AM

      I'm thinking of replacing all instances of derp with just Apple at this point.

    • 60days legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
      reply
      July 27, 2012 5:23 AM

      we present a method or process by which to drink a milkshake (nearby or cross-room distances) formerly owned by Nintendo (see diagram all-up vii)

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