A patent recently filed by Microsoft hints at plans to turn smartphones into a handheld gaming device.
The patent was filed last month isn’t for the controller device itself, though; instead, it details a charging device for “removable input modules”. As Digital Trends notes, there are no specific references to the Xbox brand or system, yet the buttons detailed in the accompanying sketches look incredibly similar to a traditional Xbox controller, and include features such as built-in speakers, a headphone jack, and wireless headphones support.
It appears the device – which will be available in a number of colour options – would feature two halves of a controller, each of which can be clipped around your smartphone to create a handheld gaming device not dissimilar to the Nintendo Switch. Unlike the Switch, however, it’s suggested this device can only be used to control games streamed via Project xCloud games.
Source: Eurogamer This Microsoft patent hints at plans to turn your smartphone into a handheld Xbox device