New update will allow users to sync their Nintendo Switch controllers to their Apple device
iOS 16 will support the Nintendo Switch family of controllers when it launches later this year.
The software update for Apple's line of products will add support for the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and the system's Joy-Cons, turning users' iPhones into a fully-fledged gaming machine.
The Verge reports that beta users for iOS 16 have been able to connect their Nintendo peripherals to their iPhone running the latest Apple software.
Riley Testut, an iOS developer, discovered the new controller support in a developer beta of iOS 16 that was released yesterday.
The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller works “perfectly” according to Testut, and both Joy-Con controllers show up as a single device for apps and games.
The findings were confirmed by Nat Brown, an engineering manager at Apple.
Players can dynamically switch between using both Joy-Cons as a single controller or two separate ones by holding the screenshot and home buttons for a few seconds.
All major gaming consoles now have their controllers present and accounted for on Apple's devices, with support for the PS5 Dualsense controller and the Xbox Series X line of controllers added last year.
Gamers who want to turn their iPhone into a full-fledged Switch will have to wait a bit longer, with the public release of iOS 16 not due to release until Autumn.
Since launching in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch has sold over 100 million units and has revitalised Nintendo.
News of a Switch successor is thin on the ground, with industry analysts pointing to a possible 2024 release date for a new Nintendo console, with signs pointing towards the upgraded Switch being able to run games in 4k resolution.
Over at camp Apple, the tech giants are gearing up to release iOS 16, showing it off at their WWDC conference.
Users will be able to customise their lock screen with widgets, while notifications on the lock screen will move to the bottom of the screen so the background photo is not covered.
The tech giant also showed off their new chips for their Macbook Air, which they state is 18% more powerful than the existing chips in their Macbook devices.