Rumour: Apple to release an official iPhone and iPad controller peripheral for gamers

According to tech website AnandTech, Apple is planning to release an official controller peripheral for its iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices.

"I know of an internal Apple project to bring a physical controller to market," Anand Lal Shimpi wrote in his review of the new iPad.

"But whether or not it will ever see the light of day remains to be seen."

This peripheral, should it be real, would silence a lot of critics that use the iPhone's lack of physical controls and tactile feedback to berate the device's status as a portable games machine.

Steve Jobs was notoriously against external add-ons for his iOS devices. However, Tim Cook - considering how gaming on the iPhone and iPad keeps increasing in popularity - may feel differently.