MFi Controller Issues Partially Fixed in iOS 8.1

Update

This article erroneously reported that 8.1 fixed the disconnect issue. This is NOT true. The issue is, however, less pronounced on the iPhone 6 I tested with.

Apple yesterday released the first beta version of iOS 8.1, and it brings SOME good news for MFi controller owners, but sadly not enough.

First the bad news: the Bluetooth disconnect issue is NOT fixed. Back to waiting for this one.

With that said, on to the good news: the ghost controller issue seems to be resolved. In previous versions of iOS 8, bluetooth controllers would often show up twice, with the second one labeled as “Forwarded”, even when connected directly. iOS 8 appears to fix this problem.

Also, controller forwarding itself appears to be working now, albeit in a slightly less polished state than people would like. Connecting a controller to iOS Device A, then launching a controller compatible game on iOS Device B, then accessing the controller icon from the bottom-left corner of the lock screen of iOS Device A, allows you to use the control iOS Device B using iOS Device A’s controller.

Logitech PowerShell MFi controller forwarded to iPad Mini in iOS 8 beta — Controller forwarding brings new life to old controllers

Controller forwarding may sound a bit convoluted, but in practice, it works well. It allows gamers with form-fitting controllers like the PowerShell or Moga Ace Power to control games on iPads and bigger iPhones that the controller would otherwise be unable to connect to.

It is unfortunate that so many bugs with controller support wound up in iOS 8, but it’s great to see Apple actively attempting to fix them. Let’s hope they go all the way.