Credit: Glap
Samsung's PlayGalaxy Link game streaming app isn't yet available but the GLAP is.
Shown off as the go-to peripheral for those looking to make use of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10's new game streaming app, the GLAP dual shock wireless gaming controller has an incredible name and a lot to prove.
On paper and in the pictures, it looks to turn the everyday experience of gaming on Samsung's most powerful 2019 smartphone into something akin to using a Nintendo Switch. Plus, it does have an incredibly catchy name.
Credit: Glap GLAP.
It doesn't stand for anything but I've already fallen for it.
And aside from the name, the GLAP also features a pretty snazzy design. The button placement looks good and - based on the pictures on the official website - there's some nice texturing on the back that should provide added grip.
Rather than use the kind of rigid molds found on other mobile gaming accessories, the GLAP also looks to be easily adjustable. The official website says it'll play nice with Android smartphones that are between 7.5mm and 10.1mm of thickness, which is good to know.
Credit: Glap Of course, it should be noted that third-party controller support is still relatively rare in the mobile gaming space. The official GLAP website only lists about thirty or so mobile games and about five or so Steam Link-enabled PC games that support the peripheral.
Unfortunately, all it takes is one for things to fall apart. If you buy this and the game you want to play doesn't support it, nothing else really matters.
Samsung are also being pretty frustratingly vague about how their PlayGalaxy Link service is actually going to work.
At this stage, the only real thing we know about it is that it'll be significantly different to both fare like Google Stadia and stuff like the Steam Link app. Instead of relying on a cloud or Wi-Fi network, Samsung's PlayGalaxy Link app will use a P2P connection to stream PC games straight to your phone. Samsung say this setup will offer low-latency gaming but, we're going to have to reserve our judgement for now.
We still don't know whether this setup will play nice with nested clients or whether many PC games will actually be able to pick up on controller commands wirelessly via the GLAP or other accessories.
We'll have to wait until the app launches to go hands-on with it ourselves. Samsung are talking a good game and the GLAP is an incredible name but, at the moment, their chops in the game streaming space are about as solid as Google's - which is to say they're yet to really prove themselves.
The only person who can change that is Samsung.
In the meantime, the GLAP dual shock wireless controller is available now through sites like Amazon for around US$90.
Samsung's PlayGalaxy Link app is expected to arrive in September. When it launches, it'll be exclusively available to Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ devices.
