iOS 7 Programming Guide Reveals Support for MFi Game Controllers

Apple is finally adding support hardware for game controllers in the iOS 7. The iOS 7 beta 1 is out and running on the handsets used for development, and iOS developers have pointed out a new Game Controller Programming Guide  (via Touch Arcade) which comes with iOS 7 and Mac OS X v10.9.

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The Game Controller Programming Guide presents a graphic of two controllers very similar to the Nintendo 3DS and Wii Classic Controller. It shows new methods of interacting with iOS through three kinds of controllers.

The new Game Controller framework, added in iOS 7 and OS X v10.9, makes it easy to find controllers connected to a Mac or iOS device. Once discovered, your game reads control inputs as part of its normal gameplay. There are three kinds of controllers available:

  • A standard form-fitting controller: An iOS device sits inside the controller and the player can access both the iOS device’s screen and the controller elements.

  • An extended form-fitting controller: An iOS device sits inside the controller and the player can access both the iOS device’s screen and the controller elements.

  • An extended wireless controller: A controller that wirelessly connects to an iOS device or Mac.

With iOS 7, Apple is said to provide a consistent graphical interface for developers to match and configure the controller according to their use-case.

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