The Backbone One PlayStation Edition turns your iPhone into a games console. That’s the short of it, but this device marks a first for Sony. It’s the first officially PlayStation licensed device for mobile gaming and shows how Sony is continuing to expand beyond PlayStation as it ports games to PC and now is making moves onto the mobile landscape.
You can immediately spot the PS5 influence in the Backbone One as it sports a similar layout and color scheme to the DualSense. There are PlayStation face buttons to match the controller too. Backbone worked closely with PlayStation folks to come up with the Backbone One so it has been designed to make it easy for those used to the PS5.
There’s a Backbone App that’s been customized so that when users plug in their mobile device, the app transforms to “tailor the experience for PlayStation gamers with customized prompts and content” according to the description. Once it releases we will be testing it out to see if it works in practice, of course. But the latest version of PS Remote Play also lets users wake their PS4 or PS5 remotely, which makes things handy.
.png?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
The Backbone One offers the ability to play your PlayStation games on your phone, as long as you’re connected to the Internet and the PS Remote Play app. PS4 and PS5 gamers will need an iPhone to slot into the Backbone One. In addition, the device has passthrough charging so it doesn’t need charging on its own — it’s powered by the phone itself. It has a classic 3.5mm headphone jack to make it easy to plug in headphones for that portable gaming session, but it is also designed to work seamlessly with Sony’s Pulse 3D headset.
PS Remote Play requires users to have the app connected to Wi-Fi and the PS4 or PS5 console with the latest system software and compatible game in order to work. A broadband internet connection with at least 5Mbps is required, but a higher-speed connection of at least 15Mbps is recommended for either Wi-Fi or mobile data. A PS4 or PS5 with a wired connection via LAN cable is also recommended.
.png?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
Then you should be able to stream any game that’s installed on your PS4 or PS5, such as Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart or Gran Turismo 7, right from your phone.
The Backbone One PlayStation Edition is compatible with all iPhones and is currently on sale for £99.99. An Android version of the device is coming later, shipping in November, for the same price. For more details, you can head over to the Backbone site here.