They will try. Stall wherever they can, and until the courts have settled the matter the iPhone 16 will be there with one new feature to roll up the whole process again.

Absurd thing for Apple to try to argue in court, I hope they get laughed out.

On the other hand, the new Pros apparently output 4k via USBC now and they support multiple wireless controllers. So with the new game titles coming to iOS, I wonder how well one of them would chug out a AAA game at 4k to a TV. IIRC the hardware is already better than the Switch.

In either case, it's a phone and that's how it should be legally classified. Also that exemption for consoles is ridiculous. Obvious lobbying at play there.

I use my PlayStation primarily to use streaming services. Do I get the right to repair it?

iPhones are already the most repairable of the flagships. And really only the fairphone is more repairable.

Can confirm that the backbone is quite nice

I’d like to see them try if only to see what software they integrate into the device. Apple excels when they control hardware and software top to bottom and a controller would really benefit from that. One button game capture and share, or a special game specific UI when the controller connects? Or Siri language processing maybe? Some mag safe integrations? Multiplayer messaging and calling integrated into iMessage (don’t need a controller for that but whatever).

If Apple really wanted to make the iPhone a game console I’d be all in if they were, but I really can’t stand the half asses approach they are taking now. It can play RE8 natively? Cool! I’ll never touch it if the gameplay with an actual controller is an afterthought!

Having said all that… the BackBone looks dope as hell and I want one. It’s what I would expect Apple would develop in house

Apple is the platform of standardization (within their walled garden) though. And as much as that shits on consumer choice, it does make for as consistent an experience as possible. That’s valuable for a lot of people but especially developers.

If I were Apple, and I wanted to position the iPhone to compete with something like Nintendo Switch, I would:

• Form an exclusive partnership with Sony or Microsoft to officially support their controller.

• Have my engineers work directly with that partner to make their cloud gaming and console streaming apps absolutely top notch. Talking “Apple native” feel and functionality.

• Sell first-party kickstand cases or popsockets. MagSafe, preferably.

• Sell official first-party controller brackets for holding the phone. Bonus, these are “magic” like the keyboard or the pro monitor mount.

• Start a licensing deal with 8bitdo for an official co-branded controller.

• Start a series of exclusive games featuring a brand mascot character (original or adopt a forgotten one, like Bonk or something idgaf)

Edit, one more very important thing: Allow retroarch in the App Store and allow for roms to be airdropped and for the app to run a restricted SMB server (drop into a specific directory and user approves connections)