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But without a controller attached to your Android or iPhone, they dont play well.
ItsBackbone Onecontroller is compatible with the bestAndroidoriPhonedevices, letting you use your handset like aNintendo Switch 2.
Khaira recalls how this was the main inspiration for this newest Backbone One partnership.
They co-designed it with us, so we worked closely to figure out how we wanted it to look.
Staying connected - for another 24 years?
Its no secret that Xbox sees a future in handheld gaming thats not limited to its Cloud Gaming service.
I asked Khaira whether this collaboration was also Microsofts way of putting one toe into the dedicated handheld space.
So I think theres an interesting duality to this design where it’s both retro and forward-looking.
Game Pass lets people play games almost anywhere, so we want to help enable a great last-mile experience.
This is something that clearly took Khaira by surprise at the time.
It was really unexpected.
I didn’t expect it to take off in that way, Khaira reveals.
So we were just mostly surprised and, I guess, delighted by it.
Yet Khaira looks at this relatively new functionality on the best iPhones with admiration.
I think it also speaks to the breadth and versatility of what you might now run on a phone.
And that’s precisely what we’re offering today.
I asked Khaira how Backbone approaches these competitors to help it set it apart from the rest.
We see our value add on a few different fronts.
Another note is that Khaira wants Backbone to be more than just offering a controller and an app.
Because of our continuous relationship with the customer through the app, they’re investing in an ecosystem.
So for example, we had lots of cool things come out via the app.
Backbone One users got the opportunity to upgrade to the second-generation hardware just by participating in the ecosystem.
Things like that are made possible through these continuous experiences we’re able to create.
Thirdly, we also view ourselves as wanting to become just an amazing software platform for playing games long-term.
A soft launch for the Xbox handheld?
We broadly define handheld gaming, because it’s not just about mobile, he explains.
We’re talking about handhelds.
Mobile silicon is evolving so fast that other devices struggle to keep up, Khaira explains.
AniPhone 16 Pro Maxis capable of running games incredibly well.
If you rank devices as good, better, or best, Backbone may fall into the good category.
These arent mutually exclusive to us.
Many Backbone customers own consoles, a Steam Deck, or both.
Khaira wants to emphasize the flexibility of what Backbone offers.
You may want to use a Steam Deck at home but prefer using our controller for PlayStation Remote Play.
Different devices serve different options, and we just want to give players a choice.
Where can Backbone go?
However, he was quick to shut that down.
At this time, we don’t offer a game streaming service, he says.
Our focus is making sure the end-to-end experience of playing those games is really good.
The second-generation hardware already supports a wide array of devices, Khaira explains.
Our USB-C model works with both iOS and Android devices, eliminating the need for separate versions.
He was quick to mention the magnetic adapter too, included with every Backbone One.
There are definitely a few, he says.
We talked about emulators briefly that felt like a black swan event.
Another surprise was remote play with Backbone.
The idea of people taking their console experience and streaming it to their phone seemed radical, he explains.
But through Xbox and PlayStation, the experience can be great.
In some cases, it can run better depending on the wireless web connection youre connected to.
Khaira realized that remote play needed a controller, which Backbone was more than happy to help with.
Thats where we came in.
Hes also amazed at how cloud gaming has already evolved.
Another one is the content that’s coming to cloud gaming services.
That you’re able to playCall of Duty: Black Ops on your phone is mind-blowing to me.
Backbone was essentially founded on this shift away from local gaming.
That was the basis of the company.
We saw early demos of games being streamed on old Android phones and thought, This is unbelievable!
Looking ahead, Khaira believes gaming will follow music and movies into streaming.
We believe that games, much like music and movies, will also move to streaming as well.
Its just a question of when.
It feels as if were only at level one of Backbones ambitions.
Im excited to see where the gaming controller space is heading with these improvements.
The future of mobile gaming and Backbone, is wide open, and potentially clear for the taking.
