iPhone gaming controller on deck?

Rumors are swirling that Apple accessory maker Belkin has an iPhone gaming controller in the works—the JoyPod, complete with PSP-type buttons and App Store support. Update: Belkin says "nopod" to the JoyPod.

TouchArcade got its hands on a diagram and an official-looking spec sheet (in Spanish) for the JoyPod, which appears to be a slide-on iPhone case with a circular control pad on the left side and a quartet of mashable buttons on the right.

According to the ad, the JoyPod has a total of eight buttons (six in front, and I'm guessing a couple of "triggers" along the top), along with audio output and a dock connector.

TouchArcade speculates that an accessory maker with Belkin's clout may well have convinced Apple to add JoyPod support into the iPhone SDK, meaning that developers could write games that could take advantage of the JoyPod's controls.

Now, none of this has been confirmed by Apple or Belkin, but the JoyPod rumors raise an interesting question: Does the iPhone (and iPod Touch, for that matter) really need a game controller accessory? After all, the whole iPhone touch UI was designed to do away with unnecessary buttons, and you can already use the accelerometer for motion control.

And another thing: If the iPhone SDK does add support for controllers like the JoyPod, does that mean that some upcoming games will require a controller, thus freezing out iPhone gamers without one?

Maybe so, but personally, I'd welcome a gaming add-on like the JoyPod, especially if it meant more first-person shooters for the iPhone (and assuming it was just, say, $39 or so). For example, I'd love to see a port of Quake III for the iPhone, but touch Quake controls? No thanks.

Also, separate gaming accessories are already a necessity for certain console titles—Guitar Hero, anyone? I don't see why iPhone games should be any different, especially if add-on controllers lead to more—and more diverse—iPhone titles.

What do you think—would you cough up the extra cash for an iPhone gaming controller? Or should developers stick with touch controls?

[Image credit: TouchArcade]

Update: A Belkin spokesperson has e-mailed me, calling the JoyPod a "false rumor" and adding that Belkin "has no plans to release such a product." Too bad—for the right price, I would have bought one.

Related:
Belkin JoyPod iPhone Gaming Controller with App Store Support? [TouchArcade, via TUAW]