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Apple working to bring new macOS Game Mode to iOS 17

One of the new features of macOS Sonoma is Game Mode, which automatically adjusts system settings to increase performance when the user plays a game on the Mac. Although this feature is currently exclusive to Mac computers, it seems that Apple has been working to bring Game Mode to devices running iOS 17 as well.

Game Mode might come to iPhone and iPad

On Tuesday, Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 17 to developers. And while the update doesn’t bring any major new features, 9to5Mac found some interesting details hidden in the system’s code. More specifically, we discovered evidence of Apple working on Game Mode for iOS and iPadOS.

Indeed, some of the same frameworks used to control Game Mode in macOS Sonoma have been added to iOS 17 beta 4. While iOS and macOS do share a lot of code due to universal apps, Game Mode has never been officially announced as a feature for iPhone and iPad. This leads us to believe that Apple has been experimenting with the feature on iOS as well.

This suggests that Apple is exploring ways to enhance gaming performance on its mobile devices. For those unfamiliar, Game Mode prioritizes hardware resources for a game, allowing it to run more smoothly. Apple also claims that Game Mode significantly reduces Bluetooth latency, which is excellent news for gamers using AirPods or Bluetooth controllers.

As the beta testing progresses, we may see more information emerge about Game Mode’s potential implementation on iOS and iPadOS. It’s uncertain whether Game Mode on iOS will be available for both iPhone and iPad or only for iPad. There’s a possibility that the idea could be completely scrapped before it sees the light of day.

Keep in mind that Apple often experiments with new features and functionalities during beta testing, and not all of them make it to the final release.

Best games you should try on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV

More about iOS 17

iOS 17 comes with multiple new features, including more options for customizing the Lock Screen, improved iMessage and FaceTime, StandBy mode, interactive widgets, and NameDrop.

The fourth iOS 17 beta is now available to developers. The update is expected to be released soon for Public Beta testers as well. More details on how to install the beta update can be found on the Apple Developer website and the Apple Beta website.

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Avatar for Filipe Espósito Filipe Espósito

Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian tech Journalist who started covering Apple news on iHelp BR with some exclusive scoops — including the reveal of the new Apple Watch Series 5 models in titanium and ceramic. He joined 9to5Mac to share even more tech news around the world.

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