But barely… You will need a subscription service and a lightning cable to do so.
The Backbone one has been praised as one of the best phone-gaming controllers out there. It has been heralded for its low-to-no latency and overall comfort. However, prior to this point, it was only compatible with iPhones. This is no longer the case (pardon the pun).
The popular peripheral is now getting Android support; however, it is clear that this is still primarily an iPhone only device.
Backbone just announced a subscription tier called Backbone Plus. It costs about $50 a year, or $4.17/month billed annually. It unlocks many features, including a new high-resolution gameplay recording ability and turn-key Twitch streaming through the Backbone mobile app. The subscription also allows you to use the Backbone One controller with other devices, including Android phones.
However, rather than make a controller that works with the USB-C port on pretty much all Android phones, the Backbone One requires a Lightning-to-USB cable to work. The effect is a console-sized controller tethered to a tiny TV screen when it’s all set up.
Technically, that means the Backbone One is still iPhone only. The controller was designed for use with the iPhone in landscape mode. It has an exposed Lightning port on the right side, a proprietary connector that only works with Apple’s mobile devices. So you can technically connect the Backbone One to an Android phone, but you can’t actually slot your phone into the controller the way you can with an iPhone, and you have to pay extra for the privilege of connecting your phone in the first place.
All in all, Android users may be better off looking elsewhere, but if you are keen on using the Backbone One, then this is a viable route for you.
If you already have a Backbone One, you can use the companion mobile app to game on a device other than your iPhone, like a MacBook or iPad, though you’ll have to subscribe to Backbone Plus to get the ability.
In other news, October and the beginning of November have seen some big next-gen titles being released, including the likes of Call of Duty: Vanguard (released today, November 5th), FIFA 22, Far Cry 6, and Left 4 Dead’s spiritual successor, Back 4 Blood. You can purchase all of these titles, as well as pre-ordering Battlefield 2042 from our Go2Games website.
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