iOS 14.5 beta adds support for the new PS5 and Xbox Series X/S controllers
Renowned Apple fanboy Rene Ritchie has revealed that the first iOS 14.5 beta has added next-gen controller support, among feature additions and bug fixes. When the next iteration of iOS goes live, and assuming all goes well, both the Sony PS5 DualSense controller and the Microsoft Xbox Series X/S controller will work with Apple’s iPad and iPhones. Apple is also expected to add the support for the next-gen console controllers to the Apple TV STB .
The new Sony DualSense controller has been widely praised since it launched alongside the PS5. In particular its haptic feedback-based L2 and R2 buttons can resist a user’s input for deeper immersion -- unfortunately, it is unlikely that Apple’s support extends this deep into the controller’s capabilities. The Xbox Series X/S controller is almost identical to the original Xbox One controller, which has gone largely uncriticized as it was already held in high regard.
Apple first added support for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One controllers in iOS 13, making the announcement at its annual World Wide Developer Conference in 2019. Apple’s support for the latest controllers from Sony and Microsoft supports a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman that the company continues to have strong ambitions in gaming. According to Gurman, Apple will double down on gaming with the next-generation Apple TV, which will have processing power on par with the Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox One.