New Backbone controller works even with a phone case

Mobile gaming is king in Australia. We’re talking more than $1.5 billion spent on mobile games here. It’s why there’s such a market for peripherals like the Backbone One, a nifty controller that clips onto your phone like a traditional gamepad. Now, with a 2nd Gen Lightning upgrade, the Backbone One is even better.

Last year, the popular brand launched a PlayStation-themed Backbone One compatible with USB-C phones. Other than the aesthetics matching that of a DualSense PS5 controller, it was a second-generation refresh that added a helpful feature: magnetic adapters.

Why is it such a big deal? Older Backbone models wouldn’t fit neatly unless you removed your phone’s case. With the magnetic adapters, the 2nd Gen Backbone One clicks into place securely, even if your phone has a case. Even though there are bound to be exceptions, i.e. bulky cases, it means a lot less fussing around when gaming.

Until now, only USB-C devices benefitted from the 2nd Gen design, which also included a more ergonomic design and passthrough charging. That’s fine for anyone with a recent Android phone or an iPhone 15. However, anyone with an iPhone 14 or older was out of luck. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case, following the launch of Backbone’s Lightning-compatible model refresh.

Backbone One 2nd Gen Lightning price in Australia

Now available in Australia, the 2nd Gen Backbone One controller for Lightning devices costs $179. You can grab one via Backbone’s official website or Amazon, with a physical retail release not far away.

It’s also a decent option for playing games via cloud streaming or remote play, simplifying the process of playing a console-like game on a smaller device. A more expensive option is the PlayStation Portal, a dedicated remote play device locked into Sony’s PS5 ecosystem.