Microsoft will 'absolutely' bring xCloud to iOS and iPadOS, targeting 2021 launch

Microsoft plans to deliver a web version of its xCloud game streaming service to iOS and iPadOS devices, effectively using Safari and other browsers as a workaround to Apple's App Store guidelines.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Business Insider on Thursday reported Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer informed employees that the company has a "direct browser-based solution" in the works for Apple's mobile platforms.

"We absolutely will end up on iOS," Spencer told employees on Wednesday, according to the report. A follow-up report from The Verge claims Spencer went on to say, "We'll end up on iPhones, and iPads with Game Pass."

Microsoft last month launched a new feature for its Game Pass subscription streaming service that allows users to play titles on mobile devices. Currently, compatibility is limited to Android handsets and tablets, as Apple prohibits gaming apps from streaming cloud-based content.

Apple's restrictions were relaxed somewhat with the adoption of new rules in September. According to App Store guidelines, cloud gaming services like xCloud, Google's Stadia and Amazon's Luna can create catalog apps as long as each game listed includes a link to individual App Store pages.

Alternatively, Apple says "there is always the open Internet and web browser apps to reach all users outside of the App Store." Amazon took that route with Luna, a browser-based solution that relies on web apps to stream gaming content to iPhone, iPad and Mac. In an interview with Engadget last month Luna engineering chief George Tsipolitis said Amazon worked with Apple on the web-based delivery system.

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Apple's reluctance to allow game streaming services on the App Store has rankled both the gaming industry and consumers. App Store guidelines restricting access to said services were the target of a class action lawsuit filed today, while former App Store head Phil Shoemaker in congressional testimony said the tech titan disallows products like xCloud from the online marketplace in part because it competes with Apple Arcade.

For its part, Apple says its prohibition of cloud gaming services is all about customer safety and the user experience.

"The App Store was created to be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers," a spokesperson said in August. "Before they go on our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines that are intended to protect customers and provide a fair and level playing field to developers."

21 Comments

CloudTalkin 916 comments · 5 Years

About 4 years ago

This is a pretty hot garbage excuse and I wish Apple would stop using it.

There's nothing inherently unsafe or untrusted about the games being streamed on XCloud. They are literally the exact same games being played on consolea, PC, and Mac from developers like EA, Ubisoft, Bethesda, and other known game developers both large and small. All apps on the store get reviewed... so review the app. Pretty sure XCloud is going to come up clean. The streamed games are downloaded. They reside on MS servers. Pretty sure they're clean as well. The content rating is governed by ESRB. There is no safety issue with XCloud.

It's a revenue issue. That's totally okay for it to be a revenue issue. Apple wants to figure out how to get paid for iOS access. I don't see a problem with that desire. Trying to couch the issue as a safety issue is simply FUD.

"The App Store was created to be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers," a spokesperson said in August. "Before they go on our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines that are intended to protect customers and provide a fair and level playing field to developers."

Rayz2016 6957 comments · 8 Years

About 4 years ago

Er … isn’t doing a web app what Apple has been suggesting since day 1?

tmay 6455 comments · 11 Years

About 4 years ago

CloudTalkin said:

This is a pretty hot garbage excuse and I wish Apple would stop using it.

There's nothing inherently unsafe or untrusted about the games being streamed on XCloud. They are literally the exact same games being played on consolea, PC, and Mac from developers like EA, Ubisoft, Bethesda, and other known game developers both large and small. All apps on the store get reviewed... so review the app. Pretty sure XCloud is going to come up clean. The streamed games are downloaded. They reside on MS servers. Pretty sure they're clean as well. The content rating is governed by ESRB. There is no safety issue with XCloud.

It's a revenue issue. That's totally okay for it to be a revenue issue. Apple wants to figure out how to get paid for iOS access. I don't see a problem with that desire. Trying to couch the issue as a safety issue is simply FUD.

"The App Store was created to be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers," a spokesperson said in August. "Before they go on our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines that are intended to protect customers and provide a fair and level playing field to developers."

If it was a revenue issue, Apple wouldn't have advised a browser based, web app, game streaming solution, in which Apple collects nothing. It is completely about control, which includes security, safety, and customer service. Obviously, you disagree with that.

Here's the part where I go, "game over". and you mosey on over to some other vital thread to occupy and entertain yourself.

22july2013 3725 comments · 11 Years

About 4 years ago

CloudTalkin said:

There's nothing inherently unsafe or untrusted about the games being streamed on XCloud. ... Pretty sure they're clean as well. The content rating is governed by ESRB. There is no safety issue with XCloud.

I have a sincere question for you, and I do not know how you will answer it: Do you also feel that there is nothing unsafe or untrusted about an alternate app store? The Xcloud app is essentially the same thing as an alternate app store, and it's a store that does not adhere in any way, shape or form to Apple's App Store rules.

Rayz2016 6957 comments · 8 Years

About 4 years ago

CloudTalkin said:

This is a pretty hot garbage excuse and I wish Apple would stop using it.

There's nothing inherently unsafe or untrusted about the games being streamed on XCloud. They are literally the exact same games being played on consolea, PC, and Mac from developers like EA, Ubisoft, Bethesda, and other known game developers both large and small. All apps on the store get reviewed... so review the app. Pretty sure XCloud is going to come up clean. The streamed games are downloaded. They reside on MS servers. Pretty sure they're clean as well. The content rating is governed by ESRB. There is no safety issue with XCloud.

It's a revenue issue. That's totally okay for it to be a revenue issue. Apple wants to figure out how to get paid for iOS access. I don't see a problem with that desire. Trying to couch the issue as a safety issue is simply FUD.

"The App Store was created to be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers," a spokesperson said in August. "Before they go on our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines that are intended to protect customers and provide a fair and level playing field to developers."

As @TMay has pointed out, if it was a revenue issue, then Apple wouldn't suggest running the service through a browser.

There's nothing inherently unsafe or untrusted about the games being streamed on XCloud. They are literally the exact same games being played on consolea, PC, and Mac from developers like EA, Ubisoft, Bethesda, and other known game developers both large and small
Well, you're speaking from a technical point of view. Apple's apps are not only reviewed to ensure they don't misbehave once they arrive on the iPhone, they're also reviewed for suitability for their intended audience and for the platform in general. What Microsoft thinks is suitable for the platform.

You forgot to bring up the 'streaming movies' argument, so I'll do it for you. Streaming movies is not the same as streaming games. To begin with, streaming a movie service is a nice clear separation between what part Apple plays in the transaction and what part Netflix plays. This is why no one is busting Apple's chops about having the movie 'Cuties' on their platform, because people know that it's not Apple, it's Netflix (though I bet Apple wishes they could block it). If a game includes questionable content, then folk will instantly blame Apple because they're playing it on an iPhone. Apple allowed it through because it came through an app on Apple's service. Forcing them to go through the browser gives Apple a nice layer of "hands-off".

The other difference is that movies are far less interactive than games. It would be quite unusual for a movie to start offering to sell you bitcoins and then take your credit card details before allowing you to continue playing.

All apps on the store get reviewed... so review the app.

How? The app is streamed. There is no guarantee that what the developers would stream the same app that they submitted for review, and Apple would have no way to check. Look how easy it was for Epic to sneak a payment module into a game that Apple had actually checked. Checking a streaming app would be next to impossible.

Oh, and of course, if you allow one company to add a streaming app then Apple would have to allow all of them, even the ones we've never heard of and who could be potential fraudsters. If they only allowed the big companies it then you'd start complaining about that wouldn't you?