Following the announcement for Moga’s new iOS 7 game controller yesterday, Logitech today officially announced its new MFi controller, the PowerShell. Like Moga’s controller, Logitech’s also doubles as a battery pack with a built-in 1500mAh battery (slightly smaller than Moga’s 1800 mAh) and will sell for the same $99 that Moga is asking.
Both of the new controllers are using Apple’s new MFi iOS 7 game controller program, which offers accessory makers and developers one standard framework for implementing support for iOS compatible game controllers. Apple allows two types of game controllers and two configurations all with pressure sensitive buttons and consistent layouts. The first type of controller is the form-fitting controller (like the Moga and the new Logitech), which allows your iOS device to be docked right into the controller. There will also be standalone controllers that connect over Bluetooth.
Logitech is using Apple’s standard MFi configuration, which gives you a D-Pad, A/B/X/Y face buttons, and left and right shoulder buttons. Moga, on the other hand, is using Apple’s extended layout, which adds an extra set of shoulder buttons and left and right thumbsticks.
Logitech’s new PowerShell controller lands today on the Apple Online Store and BestBuy’s website, and it will become available through other retailers in December. The controller weighs 120g, measures 200mm X 63mm X 21mm (L x W x D), and is compatible with iPhone 5s, 5, and 5th gen iPod touch devices running iOS 7. Logitech has a full list of compatible games here.
We plan on bringing you a full review of the controller in the near the future.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Any controller that requires that I remove my phone from the case is not in the running. What happens next year if Apple changes the phone’s form factor? I think I’ll wait for a more versatile controller that can be used with a cased phone or an iPad.
They dont even support the 5c
Looks cool but I don’t like how you’ll need to remove your iPhone from it’s case every time you want to use this controller.
Sounds great, pay $99.99 so I can play a .99 cents game. Wow great business model…Not!
BlueGimbal.Com’s GyroTroller is set up so that the users can map the keys to the desired motion in the game. While it supports all 16 channels of the extended layout, the ability of the user to map the controls makes it versatile as different physical controller layouts are released.