Ultimate iPad Gaming Accessory in Development?

[Michael Essany]

We're barely 24 hours into the arrival of the iPad and its already apparent that the tablet has the potential to take mobile video gaming to the proverbial next level. And while Apple has traditionally frowned upon the iPhone's runaway popularity as the ultimate hand-held video game system, it seems Cupertino is more than willing to embrace the native and altogether undeniable gaming potential of the iPad. For evidence, look no further than a relatively recent Apple patent getting noticed once again for obvious reasons this weekend.

As the above illustration showcases, Apple apparently has in the works (or at least on the drawing board), an iPad-suited gaming accessory designed to encase the tablet and provide a veritable gaming framework for the iPad. While the graphic portrays the accessory as a near-clone of the standard 1980's Nintendo controller, it appears that this planned accessory enables both game control from the touch-screen tablet itself as well as the surface buttons and D-pad located on the hardware.

Our friends at Patently Apple, who profiled this patent application in painstaking detail, speculate that the accessory may also serve up some form of memory storage capacity for retaining vital game stats and user information. In this regard, if the iPad is used as a "toy" shared among several people, the ability to preserve user data and stats will nurture an important and familiar aspect of competitive or shared video gaming.

Apple is clearly moving full steam ahead with developing the full breadth of potential-rich accessories that will help the iPad live up to its hype as a "game changer." If the accessory outlined ultimately manifests, it will all but certainly change the way we experience mobile gaming. And, for this reason, it seems inevitable that the iPad will meet this accessory sooner rather than later.

Image via Patently Apple

[allanes5]

Nice!

[brianlg]

yeah.. and this was supposed to come out for iphone years ago

[PainBlade]

Let us remember the goal of the ipad... The cross betweeen an iPhone and a notebook. Not a portable n64. You've taken it too far, Steve Jobs.

[GellBrake'rrrr]

It seems like those buttons would be a little hard to operate. For example: The comparison of the playstation controller to the X-Box controller. I'm sure many can understand the difference. To me it just looks a little big. However, I never read a book by its cover... it's just what i can see from the picture.

[Hmar9333]

How stupid can you be?

That's one hell of a massive D-Pad for an iPad

Obviously an iPhone/iPod Touch patent

[chansed]

That would be pretty ridiculous for an iPad. Why wouldn't you make a plug in controller with built in flash to store game data?

[TristianLyons1022]

In a patent, all pictures are just conceptual, they are almost never to scale unless they need to be in scale to prove that the idea doesn't exist yet. So you are right about the d-pad being huge Hmar, but I do think this looks like an ipad accessory. Apple has never envisioned the iPhone as a gaming device, they don't want to replace all the burned out hardware as a result of hardcore games being run on the iPhone.

[Channan]

Let us remember the goal of the ipad... The cross betweeen an iPhone and a notebook. Not a portable n64. You've taken it too far, Steve Jobs.

+1 I will never use the iPad as a gaming device. It's too big.

[Error000x]

Just A Thought; Wouldn't it be Cool to use an iPhone or iPod Touch as a Wireless/Wired Controller for the iPad. Apps like SGN's iFun, WiFiPad and ZOOZ Control work Flawlessly through WiFi. What would Happen if the both Devices were Connected via BlueTooth at a close range. Yet another use for the iPhone/iPod Touch.

[hitman10]

I think this is a great idea. I'd use it if i had an ipad but canada doesnt have them. But really i want my ipad to be able to do like everything in my house. i.e. turn on and off my tv, lights, set the PVR to record while im on the toilet so i dont miss my fav show and even being able to see the wats playing on tv from the 10" screen. Not only that but this device would be for the whole family not just one person. Apple should come out with a master touch screen remote control and thats what this looks like. I'd pay $499 for that its pretty reasonable.

[pyromcr]

that would make the ipad perfect!

[foundforgood89]

jeez, im still waiting for the gamebone or the icontrolpad, the ipads too big to dock, stick with the iphone and get that working first!

[rhekt]

ive never been much a fan of these types of extra addons. one reason why ive never got the wii

[ultimatexpka]

+1 I will never use the iPad as a gaming device. It's too big.

Im pretty sure the game developers arent reaterded enough to make the controlls big, im pretty sure they will reduce the side and place it on the corner of the screens, which means more viewing space for us while playing games =D