Android 9 Pie Now Has Controller Mapping For The DualShock 4

Mobile gaming is getting more and more popular these days, but gaming using a touchscreen still isn’t the best way to go about it. Some would try using peripherals of some sort, including a controller. And now Google has made it so that phones running Android 9 Pie will be able to use the DualShock 4 controller for mobile gaming.

With the PlayStation 4 being the most popular console of this generation, there are plenty of people with a DualShock 4. The problem with trying to pair it to an Android phone prior to Pie is that, even when you connect the DualShock 4 controller to the phone via Bluetooth, the phone in question may not have key layout and mapping for the controller, unless you have a Sony Xperia device.

Now, there is a proper key mapping in Android Open Source Project (AOSP) for all Android 9 Pie devices to use. And you don’t have to go through any installation process either. It will simply be included on all Android 9 Pie devices, by default. Incidentally, Android also supports the wireless Xbox One S controller.

According to XDA-Developers, engineers from Sony have been working on getting the DualShock 4 key mapping support on AOSP from as early as April 2017. It also looks like Google managed to beat them to the punch, as the final update of the endeavour reads “Abandoned. Already in aosp after P has been pushed.”