Logitech looks to iPhones and iPods for the next mobile consoles

There are loads of games available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, many of them great, though they all require you control them using the touchscreen. Wouldn’t it be great if someone found a way to make these devices more like a PlayStation Portable?

Logitech might have found a way with a new accessory called the “PowerShell Controller” which delivers a directional pad and several gaming buttons into a shell for the Apple iDevice.

A battery is also included in the system so you don’t run through the power of the iPhone or iPod Touch more quickly, something you’re bound to do if you spend more time throttling pixelated characters on the screen of the not-quite-console.

In fact, this battery is 1500mAh, which is just 60mAh shy of the actual charge in the iPhone 5S battery, so the phone’s life should effectively double with this accessory.

“We designed this controller to deliver a true console-gaming experience on an iOS 7 mobile device,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, General Manager of Logitech’s gaming business.

“With gaming so pervasive on the mobile platform, it’s time to revolutionise the experience.”

The PowerShell Controller accessory does encase the Apple iDevice, but still leaves access to the power switch, volume, camera, headphone jack, and speakers, though from what we hear, it is only compatible with the iPhone 5, 5S, and recent iPod Touch.

Sorry iPhone 5C owners, you might be left out of this one.

Compatibility for games is the big question, however, though Logitech says quite a few titles are already supported, including Bastion, MetalStorm Aces, Galaxy On Fire 2 HD, and others, with more coming thanks to iOS 7’s game controller framework.

If you have kids with iPhones or an iPod Touch, this might be a top choice for a stocking stuffer, or even something more substantial.

The Logitech PowerShell Controller will be available from Apple’s online and retail stores from mid-December for $129.95.