In just five years, Apple has established iOS as a major gaming platform. Games is the most popular category on the App Store, with over 175,000 of the 975,000+ apps currently available falling within it. Although many games are designed specifically for touchscreen input, there are still plenty that are better suited to a conventional controller. That's where devices such as the new PowerShell Controller from Logitech come in.
Logitech's PowerShell Controller is far from the first add-on to bring a conventional controller to iOS games. Such devices generally either take the form of a standalone controller, like the GameBone Pro, or a case or dock that holds the iOS device, like the iControlPad. The PowerShell falls into the latter camp, taking the form of an elongated iPhone or iPod touch case that connects via the Lightning connector, thus avoiding the power drain seen with controllers that connect wirelessly.
Logitech's device features a soft rubber surface for comfortable grip and adds an analog D-pad, shoulder triggers and a four face button cluster to an iPhone 5, 5s or, with the use of the included adapter, a 5th-gen iPod touch running iOS7. It also packs an integrated 1,500 mAh battery to extend gaming sessions, with both the iDevice's and PowerShell's batteries able to be charged without removing the phone from the controller. The case doesn't obscure any of the iPhone's buttons or camera and also includes a 3.5 mm headphone adapter.
The controller measures 200 x 63 x 21 mm (7.9 x 2.5 x 0.8 in), weighs 120 g (4.2 oz) and is compatible with the iOS7 game controller compatible framework that is already supported by titles including Bastion, Galaxy On Fire 2 and Limbo.
The Logitech PowerShell Controller + Battery is currently available for pre-order and will be released globally from mid-December for US$99.99.
A brief promo video for the device can be viewed below.
Source: Logitech
