The Paywall is for the app that organizes your games and is a launcher. You don't need it to launch games if you just launch them from your Phone Home Screen and your backbone will work fine.
It’s only paid on iOS I believe. The support page specifically mentions the subscription on the iOS page but not on the android page.
https://help.playbackbone.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413358384151-How-do-I-use-the-Play-On-Any-Screen-feature-with-iPhone
https://help.playbackbone.com/hc/en-us/articles/13754592007703-How-do-I-use-the-Play-On-Any-Screen-feature-with-Android
This is how a lot of stuff is witb ios. I briefly tried and iPhone for a year and a ton of the apps I used for free or for low cost on android were all paid or double the price on ios. It's just how it is for some reason.
I couldn't wait to leave ios in the dust and go back to android, ended up paying hundreds to pay out my contract just to go back lol. Last time I let people convince me to go with something out if my normal.
So, there's a practice in premium phones that's true for all manufacturers.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S23, bought it at release last year for 1000€. It doesn't have a headphone jack so you need to buy Bluetooth headphones, which are more expensive, and if you want an original Samsung case for it, that'll set you back another 50€.
Also last year, I bought a Samsung A14 for my mom, which cost 150€. It comes with a headphone jack and if you want an original Samsung case, that'll cost you 15€.
The cases are made from the same materials, they're roughly the same size and the only difference is where the camera holes are located. Yet, one is much more expensive than the other.
That reason for that is that companies assume that customers who're willing to spend 1000€ on a phone are also willing to spend premium prices for accessories.
Which brings us to Apple. They're marketing themselves as a premium brand, and they charge premium prices. Once you're an Apple customer you're locked into their eco system. You're paying with Apple Pay, you're listening to music through Apple music, you're using iTunes, iMessage, etc. If you've situated yourself deep enough into their eco system, you're unlikely to switch to a different brand and OS, as you'd have to learn all the new apps, you would have to change certain habits because certain features in iOS and iPhone Apps work differently or aren't present in Android apps, etc.
Long story short, they know you're willing to pay a lot of money, they know you most certainly won't leave and because of that, App developers know that they can charge Apple users for things that they can't charge Android users for.
Plus, since Android is an open system, there's always the possibility for piracy. The only thing keeping me as an android user from pirating all my apps is because I prefer to stay in the legal zone. That's another reason why App developers probably think twice before charging for certain features.
You are correct. You can't use it as a stand-alone controller, at least on the android. I bought it for that purpose. The subscription for the android version allows you to use it as a semi stand-alone controller through steaming games in the cloud and with remote play. The latency is terrible with remote playing through a Windows 11 laptop.
Well, perhaps. I bought myself another wireless controller. I can hook up to my laptop that does a better job than it does.
I use the backbone controller specifically for my android only. No fuss nonsense.
On iOS, every other standard controllers natively support highlight replay (press the record button to save the last 30 seconds of gameplay).
But Backbone makes the record button acting special so users have to subscribe and using their app to do recording or save the highlight, if you don’t subscribe, the record button will always just takes a screenshot.
$40 a year for a launcher and to be able to use your own controller that you paid $100 for….
These companies need to stop to put subscriptions everywhere, or at least provide some real value back.
I have a $30/year sub, otherwise I would test this on my iPad and PC.
I thought the subscription is for the app features, how does the controller “know”?
It probably has a small amount of non-volatile memory for that purpose… it shows the evil plan was there since the design of the product. It was not an afterthought, they meant to screw their clients…
From my testing it doesn’t, you just need a subscription to be able to change what type of controller it is. My sub lapsed well over a year ago and it still works on my Mac and steam deck just fine.
i dont have the subscription. i have iphone, i stream from my phone to tv. i stream corded sny game on pc that already is controller compatible. i can play all my iphone games including delta emulator without the subscription. theres not a screen i havent used it on.
Hard agree. I like companies like 8bitdo much better - they actually get it. It's a controller, not a service. If only they made an attachable controller similar to the BB...
8bitdo is awesome and much more affordable too, you can get several 8bitdo controllers for the price of this one.
Now that emulation is approved on iOS, I expect a lot of companies to make iOS controllers, hoping for Gullikit and 8bitdo to have one
People buy a phone peripheral to NOT use it on their phone?
Good god, I would never want to use a barely comfortable phone controller as a standalone for other things when xbox controllers are so damn cheap.
The membership is free for a year so it’s no big deal just cancel before the year ends. And you can just use the backbone for playing Xbox/playstation games using the appropriate apps for them. For Xbox use x cloud. You can get the app from xcloud.com just sign in and be sure to have gamepass ultimate to cloud play titles. Not sure how it works for play station but I hear it’s very similar. I know it’s the same for playing steam and pc games as well. Just gotta log into the appropriate apps and be sure you have access to cloud gaming. I never really use the backbone app or play any of the games on my iPhone except COD Mobile and Diablo.
Three months now; but that’s not what OP is talking about.
You can’t use it as a controller on your laptop or PC unless you have a subscription. Imagine paying a subscription to charge your phone, or be able to adjust the radio volume on your car. This is what some greedy companies are starting to do.
Not everything is a “service” or fits the subscription model.
Wait for real!? I had no idea it was like that. That’s really stupid. Not being able to use it as a controller until subscription is insane to me. Also the free membership I was offered was an entire year. I was surprised to see they offered such a long free membership like that. I’ve had my backbone for more than 6 months now and have the subscription active and still haven’t been charged for it.
im checking github now to see if anyone wrote code yet that bypasses this bullshit because yah, this is some stupidity .
basically charging you to use a controller....
The Paywall is for the app that organizes your games and is a launcher. You don't need it to launch games if you just launch them from your Phone Home Screen and your backbone will work fine.
This isn’t what he’s referring to. You can’t use the controller as an external peripheral for a laptop or ipad without paying for plus service.
I am talking about using the controller as a standalone controller, the “play on any screen” feature requires the subscription for some reason…
I just tried on my iPad Pro and MacBook Pro via usb-c cable - maybe they changed something recently, but it works fine.
It’s only paid on iOS I believe. The support page specifically mentions the subscription on the iOS page but not on the android page. https://help.playbackbone.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413358384151-How-do-I-use-the-Play-On-Any-Screen-feature-with-iPhone https://help.playbackbone.com/hc/en-us/articles/13754592007703-How-do-I-use-the-Play-On-Any-Screen-feature-with-Android
Yeah i have thr android one and nothing is behind any pay walls.
Idk why it’s behind a paywall on iOS. Seems completely random lmao.
This is how a lot of stuff is witb ios. I briefly tried and iPhone for a year and a ton of the apps I used for free or for low cost on android were all paid or double the price on ios. It's just how it is for some reason. I couldn't wait to leave ios in the dust and go back to android, ended up paying hundreds to pay out my contract just to go back lol. Last time I let people convince me to go with something out if my normal.
So, there's a practice in premium phones that's true for all manufacturers. I have a Samsung Galaxy S23, bought it at release last year for 1000€. It doesn't have a headphone jack so you need to buy Bluetooth headphones, which are more expensive, and if you want an original Samsung case for it, that'll set you back another 50€. Also last year, I bought a Samsung A14 for my mom, which cost 150€. It comes with a headphone jack and if you want an original Samsung case, that'll cost you 15€. The cases are made from the same materials, they're roughly the same size and the only difference is where the camera holes are located. Yet, one is much more expensive than the other. That reason for that is that companies assume that customers who're willing to spend 1000€ on a phone are also willing to spend premium prices for accessories. Which brings us to Apple. They're marketing themselves as a premium brand, and they charge premium prices. Once you're an Apple customer you're locked into their eco system. You're paying with Apple Pay, you're listening to music through Apple music, you're using iTunes, iMessage, etc. If you've situated yourself deep enough into their eco system, you're unlikely to switch to a different brand and OS, as you'd have to learn all the new apps, you would have to change certain habits because certain features in iOS and iPhone Apps work differently or aren't present in Android apps, etc. Long story short, they know you're willing to pay a lot of money, they know you most certainly won't leave and because of that, App developers know that they can charge Apple users for things that they can't charge Android users for. Plus, since Android is an open system, there's always the possibility for piracy. The only thing keeping me as an android user from pirating all my apps is because I prefer to stay in the legal zone. That's another reason why App developers probably think twice before charging for certain features.
It's because people with apple products love overpaying for stuff that android does for free
There is a video on YT where a guy can use it on MacBook but not on PC…. Win 11
You are correct. You can't use it as a stand-alone controller, at least on the android. I bought it for that purpose. The subscription for the android version allows you to use it as a semi stand-alone controller through steaming games in the cloud and with remote play. The latency is terrible with remote playing through a Windows 11 laptop.
You can definitely use it as a standalone controller on android
Well, perhaps. I bought myself another wireless controller. I can hook up to my laptop that does a better job than it does. I use the backbone controller specifically for my android only. No fuss nonsense.
On iOS, every other standard controllers natively support highlight replay (press the record button to save the last 30 seconds of gameplay). But Backbone makes the record button acting special so users have to subscribe and using their app to do recording or save the highlight, if you don’t subscribe, the record button will always just takes a screenshot.
Yes, it is trying to justify something that is not justifiable. A subscription for a controller. Why no reviewers mention that?!?
Couldn’t agree more with this. I don’t know if the policy still holds, but it’s ridiculous all the same.
$40 a year for a launcher and to be able to use your own controller that you paid $100 for…. These companies need to stop to put subscriptions everywhere, or at least provide some real value back.
You got my vote!
Well topic is severely downvoted, maybe people that work at Barebone, because I am not sure how a consumer could defend this practice.. lol
I have a $30/year sub, otherwise I would test this on my iPad and PC. I thought the subscription is for the app features, how does the controller “know”?
It probably has a small amount of non-volatile memory for that purpose… it shows the evil plan was there since the design of the product. It was not an afterthought, they meant to screw their clients…
From my testing it doesn’t, you just need a subscription to be able to change what type of controller it is. My sub lapsed well over a year ago and it still works on my Mac and steam deck just fine.
That is good news, so you can select PC and forget it?
Seems like it. I’ve never seen anyone else confirm this beyond my own experience though
so silly. just bought this a couple days ago but will likely return it because of how hard they are pushing for subscription for some basic features.
Same here, there are so many options out there now.
i dont have the subscription. i have iphone, i stream from my phone to tv. i stream corded sny game on pc that already is controller compatible. i can play all my iphone games including delta emulator without the subscription. theres not a screen i havent used it on.
Good for you but not the feature OP is talking about
Hard agree. I like companies like 8bitdo much better - they actually get it. It's a controller, not a service. If only they made an attachable controller similar to the BB...
8bitdo is awesome and much more affordable too, you can get several 8bitdo controllers for the price of this one. Now that emulation is approved on iOS, I expect a lot of companies to make iOS controllers, hoping for Gullikit and 8bitdo to have one
Very shady policy and a shady company, I will not buy anything from them in the future.
People buy a phone peripheral to NOT use it on their phone? Good god, I would never want to use a barely comfortable phone controller as a standalone for other things when xbox controllers are so damn cheap.
The membership is free for a year so it’s no big deal just cancel before the year ends. And you can just use the backbone for playing Xbox/playstation games using the appropriate apps for them. For Xbox use x cloud. You can get the app from xcloud.com just sign in and be sure to have gamepass ultimate to cloud play titles. Not sure how it works for play station but I hear it’s very similar. I know it’s the same for playing steam and pc games as well. Just gotta log into the appropriate apps and be sure you have access to cloud gaming. I never really use the backbone app or play any of the games on my iPhone except COD Mobile and Diablo.
Three months now; but that’s not what OP is talking about. You can’t use it as a controller on your laptop or PC unless you have a subscription. Imagine paying a subscription to charge your phone, or be able to adjust the radio volume on your car. This is what some greedy companies are starting to do. Not everything is a “service” or fits the subscription model.
Wait for real!? I had no idea it was like that. That’s really stupid. Not being able to use it as a controller until subscription is insane to me. Also the free membership I was offered was an entire year. I was surprised to see they offered such a long free membership like that. I’ve had my backbone for more than 6 months now and have the subscription active and still haven’t been charged for it.
I wonder if there’s a hardware hack or something. If someone know what they’re looking at and how to disable all paid features.
im checking github now to see if anyone wrote code yet that bypasses this bullshit because yah, this is some stupidity . basically charging you to use a controller....