The Game Mode feature which debuted on the Mac is available on the iPhone and iPad with Apple’s iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 software.
Game Mode was launched in macOS Sonoma in 2023, and now it’s available on the iPhone and iPad. When active, it deprioritizes background tasks while giving the highest priority to the CPU and GPU to ensure smooth performance and more consistent frame rates. It also reduces audio delay and controller lag by doubling the Bluetooth sampling rate.
The iOS 18 press release in Apple Newsroom claims that Game Mode makes “wireless accessories like AirPods and game controllers incredibly responsive.” The macOS Sequoia press release says Game Mode offers “significantly reduced audio latency” with the USB-C AirPods Pro (2nd generation).
Game Mode expands from the Mac to the iPhone and iPad
Game Mode in macOS Sequoia saw minor tweaks that enable smoother frame rates and advanced power management features that boost performance across the Mac lineup. The feature turns on automatically when you launch any game and turns off when you exit fullscreen.
You’ll see a notification when Game Mode has been toggled on. To toggle Game Mode manually, click the controller icon in the macOS status bar or the Control Center on your iPhone and iPad. You can also create a Focus that enables Game Mode whenever a wireless controller connects to filter notifications and distractions while gaming.
iOS 18 and other Apple updates bring other gaming-focused enhancements, like the new Personalized Spatial Audio API that developers can use to add immersive spatial audio support to their games. Some of the launch titles with personalized spatial audio include Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard and Need for Speed Mobile.
Apple also introduced Game Porting Toolkit 2 at WWDC24, the latest version of its tools for porting advanced games to the iPad, iPhone and Mac.