One of the major drawbacks about Apple's computers is that they really aren't gaming friendly. Granted, EA has made a push to get their games onto the Mac, but. Free pinball games for mac. For non-gamers, it’s easy to underestimate the importance of Apple’s new Made-for-iPhone (MFi) program for game controllers, but with Apple TV, MFi controllers, and mobile devices becoming.

Apple’s new game controller program offers a lot of promise for gaming on iOS— the top mobile gaming platform around could also soon be a serious platform for hardcore gamers. But the first crop of controllers have been met with much criticism from developers, reviewers and consumers alike. The consensus so far: flimsy buttons and joysticks, lack of support from developers, and a $99 price tag make them far overpriced compared to your standard Bluetooth game controller. The launch for the first few controllers to hit the market was rushed, developers are disappointed and still trying to catch up, and manufacturers are limited in pricing, features, and quality due to Apple’s MFi program requirements. What does Apple have to do to overcome a rocky start to its game controller program which is supposed to control quality?

And how are manufacturers limited by Apple in building better controllers at a fair price? We’ve dug into Apple’s MFi program and talked to developers and companies building the controllers to find out. Like it’s Made-for-iPhone/iPad/iPod touch program for docks, audio products, and other accessories, late in 2013 Apple interested in building Apple authorized game controllers.

Two types: a “form-fitting” design that acts as a case for the device with a built-in Lightning connector, and a standalone Bluetooth-connected version. Alongside the new MFi program, Apple has created standardized that are supposed to let app developers update once to support all authorized game controllers. Why are they so expensive? One of the biggest pain points for consumers so far has been the price of MFi controllers: Does the added engineering that goes into having an iPhone dock right into the controller via Lightning connector really justify the roughly $40 -$50 premium over your average game console controller? And what about the? That is essentially just a standard Bluetooth controller but also selling for $99.

A sample of comments from our reviews of the controllers echo what just about everyone online is saying: Basically the same comment as everyone else: the Dualshock 4 costs $60. The Xbox One controller costs $60. I am not going to pay $100 for a worse controller than those.

__ Just allow DualShock 3 to pair with iOS and be done with it. This entire round of new controllers (Logitech, Moga, Stratus, and there is one more from CES) are all a joke. Cheaply made, and Waaaay overpriced.

So why is the price so high? If you ask Logitech and it’s in large part because of the built-in battery and other components like the Lightning connector necessary for device charging.

That’s not the whole story, however, as the Bluetooth controllers announced so far that are lacking those features are also selling for $100 (like ). One issue is that Apple’s MFi program requires manufacturers to source their pressure sensitive analog switches for buttons and thumbsticks from a single Apple approved supplier. An employee of Logitech that worked on the project expressed disappointment with the buttons compared to the company’s other gamepads and noted its first controller, the PowerShell, was put together in haste. Accessory maker Signal, which just at CES this year, explained that achieving the $60 shelf price of generic Bluetooth controllers while getting anywhere close to the quality of a first-party controller from Sony or Microsoft just isn’t possible with the MFi program. “The generic BT controllers often cited at low prices simply don’t have the amount of engineering and design development that’s going in to MFi controllers.” While it’s no secret that Sony and Microsoft have been known to lose money on the sale of new hardware, estimates put the bill of materials on the. After shipping, Sony is still making around $30 off each controller sold, but it of course has the added benefit of bringing costs down by building millions of units at launch. Much of that $30 will also go towards distribution and retail margins when sold through third-party retailers. While Signal’s Mark Prince hinted the company won’t be able to compete with the big guys on price, he did tell me that, unlike the current crop of MFi controllers, Signal’s controller will “feel and perform a lot like a 1st party controller – in terms of latency, feel, calibration – you name it.