The difference is that the App Store requires apps being sold in the App Store to be individually submitted. Games are applications.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Microsoft Was Willing to Bring Xbox-Exclusive Games to iPhone via xCloud
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The game apps aren’t being sold on the App Store any more than individual Netflix titles are. Only access to those titles is being sold.
Games are applications. If you don't want to submit the application to the App Store, do the streaming through the internet/browser. Apple isn't preventing anyone from selling streaming game services to iOS users. They just want control over applications being sold through the App Store.
It's a remote client app. I already explained the difference. Azure's remote client app isn't providing the user with access to anything they (or their company) haven't already purchased OUTSIDE OF THE APP STORE.
The XBox gaming app is also a remote client app, providing access to content you’ve paid to access, just like Azure.
I don't think so. Netflix content is not executable and you can't interact with it directly (albiet indirectly), except through the app. I think that is (one of) the distinction.
The “applications” in question aren’t running on the iOS device.
Why doesn’t Netflix have to submit their interactive titles for individual review?
No, Microsoft's service was selling access to content that the user hadn't already purchased elsewhere.
Ah. So if I have not purchased a separate Windows and Office license, I shouldn’t be able to stream a rented copy Windows and Office from the cloud via Azure?
Likewise, if I’ve paid for access to XBox game pass, I should be able to stream those games to my iOS device, as you say, because I’ve paid for access to them separately.
You get that, right? Once you pay for Netflix, you get to stream all the titles on Netflix. Once you pay for Game Pass, ditto.
It’s the same thing.
Neither is a game, when it’s being streamed. It’s not running on the local device. If you looked at the network traffic it would just look like a compressed video stream, same as a movie on Netflix.
Again, wow, if you have purchased a Game Pass subscription then you have purchased access to all the content it contains.
Not complicated, indeed.
A remote desktop client gives you access to things you've already purchased elsewhere.
Microsoft was not selling a remote client per Xbox gaming. They were selling a library of gaming applications via subscription.
And the point you seem to be missing is that Apple's App Store rules didn't prevent them from selling that subscription to iOS users. They just needed to use the internet/browser instead of the App Store. I'm not even sure why you're upset about the App Store rules when you still get access to the service on an iOS device.
You’re repeatedly describing two identical things as if they are different.
This absurdity has become repetitive and lost its entertainment value.
That doesn't actually matter per the App Store. If you want to sell gaming applications to iOS users THROUGH THE APP STORE, then you have to follow App Store rules per submission. If you want to sell gaming applications to iOS users THROUGH THE INTERNET/BROWSER, then you don't have to submit anything.
Purchasing something OUTSIDE THE APP STORE is not the same as purchasing something INSIDE THE APP STORE.
Right. I purchase Netflix outside the App Store and stream Netflix content to my iOS devices.
I purchase Game Pass content outside the App Store and stream Game Pass content to my iOS devices.
I mean, you’d think …
Which definitely means Apple should ban all of Netflix’s gamified, interactive content, right? Like Bandersnatch?
Well that’s nuance for you.
As much as I don’t want to. I think I’ll end up giving Sony my money as they have the best exclusives.
Again, Microsoft is not selling gaming applications any more than Netflix is selling movies and TV shows.
You can stream any game service you want on iOS through the internet/browser. I'm not sure why you even care that Apple has different rules for their own store?
Yes, Microsoft is selling gaming applications via subscription. They didn't like Apple's rules for the App Store, so they switched to the internet/browser. What's the problem? You still get access to the service.
Why wouldn’t anyone care about customer-hostile logical absurdities?
Apple’s “reasoning” for their decision is offensively stupid, that’s all.
I don’t have Game Pass, by the way. So it means nothing personal to me either way.