Apple's rumored gaming controller for iPhone could feature Beats branding

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Apple is reportedly on the verge of entering a new product category within the gaming world. As reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has been working on gaming controllers for iPhone for more than a year, but they could launch under its Beats brand instead.

Earlier this month, one of MacRumors' readers identified code in a macOS release candidate that referenced two hardware devices with gaming controller components, like dual thumbsticks, shoulder buttons and D-pads. While Apple already sells third-party gaming controllers in its online store, including options from Backbone and SteelSeries, these two controllers codenamed T6502 and T1057 are being developed under the Beats brand, with product engineering and conception being tackled by Beats execs, Gurman reported.

Gurman also noted that Apple could be using the Beats brand strategically as it experiments with new product territory that it's interested in. Between the two brands, Apple could also launch a Beats gaming controller that would be more affordable than its own brand since it could skip out on the typical premium materials and styling. On top of that, there could be a lot more overlap in aesthetics and culture between the gaming community and Beats products owners. However, Gurman didn't mention a release timeline for Apple's in-house gaming controller for iPhone.