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Signal announces first full-size MFi Bluetooth games controller

RP_One

iOS gamers are not going to be short of options when it comes to choosing a games controller for their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. After earlier dock-based controllers from Logitech and Moga, and Monday’s announcement by SteelSeries of the first Bluetooth controller, Signal has just announced the first full-size Bluetooth controller in the shape of the RP One … 

Signal says the device is aimed at “serious gamers,” being modelled after a full-size Xbox controller and offering a full complement of traditional games controls: two analogue joysticks, two triggers, direction pad and action buttons. It offers a 10-hour battery-life.

$100 seems to be emerging as the standard price for MFi controllers, and the RP One follows the trend. You’ll need to be patient, though: Signal only has prototypes so far, and the company has given no availability date beyond “the first half of the year.”

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Comments

  1. robertomoura98 - 10 years ago

    Am i the only one who thinks 100 dollars is too much for a controller? The actual xbox controller is half this price

    • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

      I would pay $100 for an Apple controller, I wouldn’t pay $25 for any of these cheap, absolute garbage third party MFi controllers. The xbox one and PS4 controllers are $60 and they spent so much more time and money on R&D that it is absolutely ridiculous. It is hilarious that these third party awful controllers are all priced at $100, when they should all be $20. Even assuming iOS had a lot of great titles that really require a controller, or a lot of AAA developers interested now that there are controllers, I still wouldn’t buy one of these incredibly poorly designed (so much so that it is embarrassing), cheap controllers.

      It’s very sad that Apple didn’t just make their own, I’m still holding out hope they will for the iPhone 6 though, considering it will have a new screen size (4″ and 4.5-5″) and that will likely never be adjusted in the future, so it’s possible they are waiting for it.

      • Oflife (@oflife) - 10 years ago

        They are, like most Apple peripheral vendors, taking the pee out of the iFans. I wanted a Logitech solar powered keyboard for my Mac. The PC one, which is TECHNICALLY no different than the Apple version (other only being available in black and of course having Windows key symbols on it), cost about £59. The Mac version, which is/was available in white and black, is/was £89. I was lucky to get one on Amazon for about the price of a PC version during a promotion. Either way, there is no technical or other reason for Apple peripherals to cost more, the vendors (inc Apple) are simply assuming Apple customers are more wealthy and stupid, which may well be the case, being all my clever university degree level colleagues used PCs or Linux boxes. I’m thick, only went to college, so I use a Mac. Lol! (Am intentionally trolling in the last part here, but I am serious about the whole iExploitation thing.)

    • Robert Nixon - 10 years ago

      At least the “dock” variety controllers double as a battery pack for the phone. I can’t even conceive of a good reason why $100 should be the de facto price for an MFi controller.

  2. danbridgland - 10 years ago

    Any hands-on reports or photos of the prototypes? Build quality, finish, weight and a balanced centre of gravity are so important with any games controller.

  3. ikir - 10 years ago

    I like much more the Steelseries Stratus

  4. Justin P - 10 years ago

    it’s an xbox controller……

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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