Skip to main content

The new Apple TV may support Bluetooth game controllers

The new Apple TV may support Bluetooth game controllers

Share this story

Apple is expected to unveil a new version of the Apple TV next week, and it's supposed to start getting into gaming. According to 9to5Mac, the Apple TV will begin supporting Bluetooth game controllers that are about as capable as what you'd use to control a console. The report says that the Apple TV will support pressure-sensitive buttons, joysticks, and basic motion control — that's nothing out of the ordinary, but it's enough to play more than the casual games that currently work best on iOS. It's likely that these controllers will be made by third parties, not Apple.

The Apple TV remote may only have iPhone-style motion controls

What the Apple TV's controllers won't support, according to 9to5Mac, is motion control akin to what you'd find on the Wii, despite what a previous report said. Instead, it'll just include the kind of basic tilting controls that are already present on the iPhone and iPad. In other words, you'll be able to tilt the new Apple TV remote — and likely some of its controllers — to steer in a racing game, but you probably won't be able to aim a virtual weapon with it.

There's been a lot of talk about the upcoming Apple TV's new remote, and 9to5Mac seems to have a final report here on what'll be on it. It's supposed to have a touchpad, a home button, and a Siri button, which will activate a voice search. That search is said to be "near-universal," but the question is whether that means using Siri to open up a specific app or to find the best service to rent a specific movie through, which would be a lot more useful. The remote is also supposed to have a replaceable battery, rather than a rechargeable one.

There are a number of other details about the new Apple TV that have been coming out of 9to5Mac, including that the device is believed to be getting a price between $149 and $199. The device is widely expected to have an improved interface, in addition to the new remote, with the biggest software feature being the introduction of an app store, which is where games for these controllers will come from. That doesn't mean the Apple TV is turning into a serious gaming device — it should still be focused on watching TV and movies — but this definitely seems to mark an entry by Apple into the TV's casual gaming space.