If you're an iPhone or iPad gamer, you're probably excited that Apple is working on a unified on-screen gamepad for iOS 15 that will make your experience even better.

Apple announced virtual game controls at WWDC with the "Tap into virtual and physical game controllers" presentation (via MacRumors) for iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. apple Arcade and more iDevices may be the best option for mobile gamers when combined with the excellent titles available in the App Store at That is, if you're not a "Fortnite" fan. [The virtual joystick comes with its own API (a software module that developers can use to make their apps interact with different software) for both operating systems, so even small or inexperienced development teams can take advantage of this feature. [On-screen controls are also customizable, and each of the two halves can independently support a joystick, touchpad, D-pad, and up to four buttons. These buttons can be adjusted to different colors and letterforms, but are made to fit the look and feel of iOS. According to Apple, the controls also support tactile feedback for a more immersive experience.

In addition to the virtual controller, Apple will also add support for adaptive triggers on the PS5 DualSense controller. This is great news for lucky PS5 owners who want to use the controller for mobile games as well as Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Bugsnax. [According to Nat Brown, a member of Apple's game technology engineering team, the controls "carefully adjust the grip position based on the size of your hand for great response and feel." Whether it's the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro Max, or even the rumored iPhone 13 lineup, we expect these controls to work well.

iOS 15 will not be available until the fall, probably around the same time the iPhone 13 is released. If you want to try the developer beta now you can, but it is strongly advised that you use a spare iPhone or iPad to download it. The same advice applies to the public beta of iOS 15, which will be released this July.