Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller for iPhone (Lightning)

To start, the controller is absolutely fantastic, the only drawback is the expensive $50 annual subscription service just to use the console like features I think personally should come with the controller. The controller itself works without this subscription, and the first year is free for Backbone+, but be advised that it is not apparent on the surface level that some of the extra features and the UI are locked behind this annual fee. The backbone device itself fits on my phone perfectly due to the sliding mechanism and the lightning header secures in the phone and keeps the whole controller sturdy. I was excited over this controller because I use remote play on PlayStation periodically and this controller does the job for that very well while keeping the familiarity to the PlayStation controller. The backbone is also great in mobile games like Minecraft and Call of Duty Mobile. It makes these games feel more like their console counterparts and adds a wonderful amount of comfort. This version of the backbone has the triangle, cross, circle, and square buttons of the PlayStation controller, so translating the button bindings for A,B,X,Y is something muscle memory has to kick in for. Along with it, the UI of the Backbone app is fantastic. The backbone button functions like the home button on the PlayStation and takes you to the UI where all of your connected apps and games are available in a nice central hub to quickly switch to, but the love and practical use of this amazing UI is something that is disappointingly hampered by the subscription to it. This controller is great, it is the highest quality controller for a phone that I have ever used thus far, but the only thing that completely bums out the experience is the Backbone+ subscription to use the console like functionality. Again, THE CONTROLLER WORKS WITHOUT THE SUBSCRIPTION, but this subscription adds the features that make the experience so much better, faster, and easier. The thing that is suspicious about this controller that I wish was written on the box or something to forewarn the consumer on the description is that the fabulous UI that makes my phone into a game console is locked behind a subscription. It cost $50 annually to use and I think that it is a bit unfair to the consumer that nothing is explicitly mentioned about this on the description of the Backbone controller or even on the retail box. It comes with one full year of Backbone+ but after that year of loving it, you have to decide on paying a subscription or to just go without the UI software and features and just use the hardware of controller by itself alone. Again, the hardware of the controller is able to be used without the Backbone+ subscription, it just stings a bit that the UI and twitch streaming is locked behind this subscription. I have nothing wrong with the quality of the controller, but the not too obviously advertised subscription is the thing that is lost in the experience if you cannot afford it. I just also have the issue with the all or nothing approach on the sofware. Without subscribing, practically you keep the app for the firmware updates for the controller, thumb stick recalibration, and button mapping and that is pretty much it. It is basic and the controller works, but even a basic use of the console like UI would've been appreciated at that level. (Personal Input and Suggestion Alert :0 ) My personal input is that I feel like the UI and the streaming features should have some basic functionality without the subscription. Like perhaps the UI is free and if you want to stream at a higher fps or quality then the subscription is required, like the subscription structure of Discord. I feel like there should be some free tier to have the most basic UI functionality like being able to choose games from the UI to play so that there is some convenience. I just find locking almost everything good about the app behind the subscription is preposterous. Overall, this is a really high-quality controller that I can imagine using years to come for mobile games and PlayStation Remote Play, but I am going to shed a tear when I cannot afford to keep using the Backbone+ features. The software and UI is fantastic and intuitive, it just bites all of the fun good functionality is locked behind the Backbone+ subscription.