A brand new controller from 8BitDo has been introduced for smartphones, and this add-on will make your telephone resemble a next-gen Sport Boy. At CES 2026, 8BitDo confirmed off the FlipPad, a gamepad that connects to a smartphone through its USB-C port. Particulars on the FlipPad are scarce for now, however 8BitDo says it would assist each iOS and Android units.
The place cell play unfolds.
Introducing 8BitDo FlipPad — a flip-style gamepad designed for cell gaming.
Suitable with iOS and Android units. Formally supported by Apple.
Coming Summer season 2026.
Expertise it first at @CES 2026.
LVCC Central Corridor · Sales space #15641#FlipPad… pic.twitter.com/snddY5OaMx— 8BitDo (@8BitDo) January 4, 2026
A better have a look at the FlipPad reveals a couple of Nintendo-inspired design selections. The controller has a traditional D-pad on the left and 12 face buttons, together with the normal four-button format discovered on trendy controllers. This might make the FlipPad splendid for retro-inspired video games and emulators, and 8BitDo says it’s going to reveal extra particulars forward of its Summer season 2026 launch.
This is not the corporate’s first dive into smartphone controllers; it presently sells the Xbox-licensed 8BitDdo Final Cell controller for Android and iOS. Much like its Final controllers for PC and console, these smartphone controller cradles are formally licensed and supply a formidable quantity of options for his or her budget-friendly worth.
These have Corridor Impact sticks, face buttons, a retro-style D-pad, and contoured tactile handles. As you’d anticipate, it’s also possible to customise them by way of 8BitDo’s software program, and so they match smartphones measuring 100-170mm (3.93-6.69in) in size. You’ll be able to seize the white Xbox model for $46 or the black version for its normal worth of $50.
It could actually join wirelessly to your system through Bluetooth, so it’s also possible to use it with Android tablets, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and even the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional. As for battery life, 8BitDo claims the 300 mAh battery can ship as much as 13 hours on a full cost.
