iOS 16 will let you use Nintendo Switch controllers with your iPhone games

Support for the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Cons have been discovered in the latest iOS 16 developer beta. With a public beta happening next month, it might not be long before you can try out Nintendo’s bespoke controllers on your iPhone for yourself.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Con support were spotted by developer Riley Testut in the latest iOS 16 developer beta, among all the madness that was WWDC (thanks MacRumors (opens in new tab)). Testut is best known for developing the Delta emulator for iOS devices.

Testut shared his findings on Twitter, confirming that the controllers appear in iOS 16’s Bluetooth connections menu, and pair without issue. He adds that the controllers “work perfectly” with the Delta emulator. So, when iOS 16 launches later in the year, you’ll likely have a solid alternative to touch controls when playing games on your iPhone 13.

Bigger news than you think

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is arguably one of the best official pads from the current generation of consoles. Its comfy form factor, enormous battery life and gyro support make it one of the most feature-rich controllers on the market today.

Having official Pro Controller and Joy-Con support with iOS 16 is a big deal, especially if you’re an Apple Arcade subscriber. Currently, Switch controllers do work with macOS, but not iOS.

When iOS 16 drops, however, you’ll be able to use the excellent Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (and the slightly less excellent Joy-Cons) with Apple Arcade on iOS devices. That means you’ll get to play loads of controller-supported games by way of Bluetooth connectivity afforded by Nintendo’s bespoke controllers.

Additionally, as one pair of Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons can act as two separate controllers, hopefully you’ll be able to connect two at once to your device for multiplayer gaming, too.