IControlPad

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title: "IControlPad" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["game-controllers", "mobile-technology"] topic_path: "general/game-controllers" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IControlPad" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox information appliance"]

Field	Value
name	iControlPad
image	[[File:iControlPad.jpg
caption	The iControlPad in its standalone and clamp-on configurations (with iPhone 4).
manufacturer	iControlPad Ltd.
type	Video game controller
power	1 × 1500mAH cell
input	*8 × Digital buttons
(A, B, X, Y, L, R, Start, Select)
website
::

Digital D-pad
2 × analog nubs |connectivity= |predecessor= |successor= |website= The iControlPad is a wireless game controller compatible with a variety of smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. It is designed for use as either a standalone gamepad or attached to appropriately sized devices, such as the iPhone, using a clamp system. Due to this, the iControlPad is able to add traditional physical gaming controls to devices which otherwise rely on inputs such as touchscreens and accelerometers.

Overview

The iControlPad's input controls include an eight-directional D-pad, dual analog nubs, six digital face buttons, and two digital trigger buttons on the gamepad's reverse. The sides of the iControlPad are detachable, with two different attachment types: rubber grips, for using the controller as a standard wireless gamepad; or plastic clamps, for connecting with a suitable handheld, such as a smartphone or iPod Touch. A mini USB port on the bottom of the iControlPad can be used to charge the internal 1500mAh battery, update the device's firmware, and charge attached devices using a USB On-The-Go connection and an appropriate adapter.

The iControlPad, a Bluetooth device, can be run in a wide variety of modes, including as a HID keyboard, mouse, joystick, and gamepad, among others, allowing compatibility with equipment which is limited to only certain types of input. One of the iControlPad's modes mimics the protocol used by the iCade, an arcade cabinet released for the Apple iPad, facilitating compatibility between apps designed for the iCade and the iControlPad hardware.

Due to the iControlPad's ability to operate as a Bluetooth keyboard—by mapping the D-pad and buttons to standard keyboard keys—it is able to communicate with devices such as those running Apple's iOS, including the iPhone and iPad, which do not support Bluetooth gamepads. Since iOS natively supports keyboards, apps can be developed with iControlPad compatibility using either its own protocol or that of the iCade. Thus, the iControlPad is able to control video games and video game console emulators across multiple platforms.

Development

Development of the iControlPad began in 2007, with testing using a hacked SNES gamepad to connect to an iPhone over the dock connection. Once the serial connection was working, the first prototype iControlPad was produced, using a design styled after the Sony PSP. This earliest concept was a one-piece case enveloping the iPhone, with a D-pad on the left side, and four face buttons on the right in a landscape orientation, and was first revealed in 2008.

By November 2009, a completely redesigned iControlPad prototype was under development. This much larger version moved the controls below the screen and added two analog nubs and two trigger buttons to the controller. This design, which featured clamps to attach it to the iPhone, was much closer to the version that was ultimately released, and would soon go into production.

However, one large change was made very late in development. The team had secretly added Bluetooth support to the iControlPad, in order to increase compatibility beyond the iPhone and its proprietary connection. This proved fortunate when Apple began exercising its rights over the dock connector, suing an unlicensed accessory maker. Thus, the iControlPad team were forced to adapt to use the Bluetooth connection for the iPhone, and it was this version which finally became available for order in February 2011.

Supported apps

Apple iOS

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Title	Developer	Release date	Notes
Atari's Greatest Hits	Atari	06 Apr 2011	url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/04/100-classic-atari-games-for-ios-out-now-icade-cabinet-coming-in-june.ars
Compression HD	Little White Bear Studios	17 May 2010	url=http://www.148apps.com/news/compression-hd-support-icade/
HungryMaster	xionchannel	02 Jul 2011	url=https://xionchannel.blogspot.com/2011/07/hungrymaster-112.html
iMAME4All	David Valdeita	16 Aug 2010	url=https://www.engadget.com/2011/07/10/imame4all-gains-experimental-support-for-icade-ios-gamers-gain/
IronStar Arena	Appracatappra	6 May 2011	url=http://appracatappra.com/archives/985
Mos Speedrun	Physmo	06 Apr 2011	url=https://physmonews.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-we-are-up-to.html
Sideways Racing	Bjango	23 May 2011	url=http://bjango.com/ipad/sideways/versionhistory/
Shuttle Scuttle	Embraceware	17 May 2012	Supported since version 1.1.
Velocispider	Retro Dreamer	31 May 2011	url=http://retrodreamer.com/blog/2011/07/velocispider-v1-2-out-now/
"Flashback: The Quest for Identity"	Manomio	18 Aug 2011	url=http://manomio.com
::

Supported via iControlPad's iCade mode.
Only on iPad.
Requires jailbreaking on iOS.

Multiplatform

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Title	Developer	Release date	Platform	Notes
GBC.emu	Robert Broglia	23 Apr 2011	Android, iOS, webOS	url=http://www.explusalpha.com/home/gbc-emu/updates
MD.emu	Robert Broglia	28 Jun 2011	Android, iOS, webOS	Supported since launch.
NES.emu	Robert Broglia	09 Feb 2011	Android, iOS, webOS	url=http://www.explusalpha.com/home/nes-emu/updates
PCE.emu	Robert Broglia	27 Aug 2010	Android, iOS, webOS	url=http://www.explusalpha.com/home/pce-emu/updates
Snes9x EX	Robert Broglia	16 Mar 2011	Android, iOS, webOS	url=http://www.explusalpha.com/home/snes9x-ex/updates
::

Requires jailbreaking on iOS.

Future releases

Apple iOS

::data[format=table]

Title	Developer	Release date	Notes
Commodore 64	Manomio	05 Sep 2009	url=http://toucharcade.com/2011/06/18/manomio-demonstrates-icade-support-for-iamiga-emulator/
iAmiga	Manomio	TBA	Support expected at launch.
Interstellar Force	David Molnar	10 Mar 2011	url=https://twitter.com/David994A/status/92753291959742464
No Gravity	[realtech VR]	24 Mar 2011	date=July 16, 2011
::

Supported via iControlPad's iCade mode.

Reception

Reception for the iControlPad has been mostly positive. Register Hardware noted that while "patience and geekery" were required to get the controller working, the iControlPad "almost perfectly solves the touchscreen game control conundrum". Gadgetoid homed in on the device's usefulness for classic gaming, remarking that it was "awesome [...] for emulation on the go". TouchArcades reviewer said while playing games with the iControlPad that "the experience feels great", but that "[he couldn't] recommend that the typical gamer run out right now and grab one," due to its limited support on the iTunes App Store.

Early reviews were mixed on the quality of the controls, with DroidGamers describing them as "very loose", while, conversely, Register Hardware said "the analogue nubs and face buttons work extremely well". The controller's responsiveness was later improved by replacing the original rubber keymat with a larger one. In their review, Gadgetoid lauded the inputs as having "a great tactile feel and a liberal amount of travel with a good response."

iControlPad 2

A successor, the iControlPad 2, was successfully funded via Kickstarter in October 2012. As of November 2013, it has been cancelled, and the backers were KickScammed.

References

"iControlPad Quick Start Guide". iControlPad Ltd.
(July 9, 2011). "iControlPad Review". Gadgetoid.
Kwan, Michael. (2008-12-23). "Game for Real with iPhone iControlPad". Pilato Private Consulting.
Dotson, Carter. (February 14, 2011). "Gaming on iOS is About to Get Physical With a Variety of External Joystick and Gamepad Solutions.". 148Apps.
Grace, Tom. (April 13, 2011). "iControlPad for Android Review: It's as easy as A, B, X, Y...". DroidGamers.
"iControlPad - Add real gaming controls to your iPhone!". iControlPad Ltd.
Stevens, Tim. (December 12, 2008). "iControlPad gamepad heads to production, warms hearts". [[AOL]].
Wattanajantra, Asavin. (2010-08-27). "iControlPad unofficial iPhone gamepad coming soon". [[CNET]].
Sorrel, Charlie. (2011-02-09). "iControlPad for iPhone Finally Shipping, Adds Support for All Phones".
Patel, Nilay. (November 8, 2009). "Latest iControlPad prototype bulks up, gets handled on video". [[Engadget]].
Davies, Chris. (August 23, 2010). "iControlPad for iPhone production parts now shipping". [[SlashGear]].
Rothwell, Craig. (September 29, 2010). "Something we kept secret ...". [[Twitter]].
Davies, Chris. (September 28, 2010). "iControlPad dumps Dock Connector for Bluetooth over Apple legal fears; Android BT confirmed". [[SlashGear]].
Perkins, Samia. (February 8, 2011). "iControlPad with Bluetooth Shipping This Month". R3 Media LLC.
Foresman, Chris. (April 6, 2011). "100 classic Atari games for iOS out now, iCade cabinet coming in June". Ars Technica.
Dotson, Carter. (June 30, 2011). "Compression HD Gets Support for iCade". 148Apps.biz.
(July 21, 2011). "HungryMaster 1.12". xionchannel.
Murph, Darren. (July 10, 2011). "iMAME4All gains experimental support for iCade, iOS gamers gain infinite happiness". [[Engadget]].
Valdeita, David. "imame4all - MAME for ALL iOS devices". [[Google Code]].
(July 16, 2011). "IronStar Arena for iCade". Appracatappra.
(June 25, 2011). "What we are up to.". Physmo.
"Version history for Sideways Racing, an iPad game". Bjango.
Bowman, Gavin. (July 27, 2011). "Velocispider V1.2 Out Now". Retro Dreamer.
Carnie, Stuart. (August 18, 2011). "Flashback: Now with iControlPad support". manomio.
Broglia, Robert. (April 23, 2011). "GBC.emu Updates". Ex Plus Alpha.
Broglia, Robert. (February 28, 2011). "NES.emu Updates". Ex Plus Alpha.
Broglia, Robert. (February 28, 2011). "PCE.emu Updates". Ex Plus Alpha.
Broglia, Robert. (March 16, 2011). "Snes9x EX Updates". Ex Plus Alpha.
Patterson, Blake. (June 18, 2011). "Manomio Demonstrates iCade Support for 'iAmiga' Emulator". TouchArcade.
(July 18, 2011). "I'm working on adding ...". [[Twitter]].
(July 16, 2011). "Nogravity iPad2 + iCade.". YouTube.
Bailey, Andrew. (May 18, 2011). "iControlPad Bluetooth controller for mobile devices". [[The Register.
Patterson, Blake. (July 13, 2011). "A Close Look at the 'iControlPad' Bluetooth Control Accessory". TouchArcade.
(2014-05-07). "iControlpad 2 by Product 3 LLC".

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