Microsoft's xCloud and Xbox Game Pass Not Coming to iOS Due to Apple's Restrictions [Updated]

[Ethosik]

Everyone has known from the start Apple wants to funnel everything through the App Store’s payment and (far less importantly to Apple) vetting systems and deny anyone else. That’s what the complaints are about. This circular “rules are rules” argument cycle is not getting anywhere.

The point is the rules need to be changed. Denying people a whole swath of entertainment options because you’re scared of losing all that IAP revenue is corruption. If they don’t make any money from Netflix, they don’t need money from xCloud. It is hypocrisy to treat one type of entertainment differently from another type of entertainment. And yet still we’ll devolve into “but games are apps!” circular strawman silliness.

I think I’m going to hang it up here. The amount of people pissed off over this issue speaks for itself, and says everything that needs to be said.

Why do the rules need to be changed? If you do not like it, there is competition with Android. Why should a company be forced to change their rules? Just let capitalism play out people. It is that simple. If iPhone sals fall like a rock and Android skyrockets, Apple will either change or go out of the phone business.

It is that simple.

This is really similar to me complaining that AMD and NVIDIA needs to change because they do not offer CUDA in the GPUs. I am still buying AMD graphics cards, but I complain non stop about the lack of CUDA. Instead of just getting which GPU fits my needs, I instead force myself to suffer just to complain? Life is way too short people. If iOS irritates you this badly, just switch.

 

[mrcloaked]

It can't play out.

 

[Ethosik]

Capitalism can't play out. Letting the best gaming service win on iOS isn't a scenario that can play out. It's that simple.

We're talking about an all-purpose (keyword all-purpose) software platform that billions use and are already invested in, not a game console or a graphics card with one purpose and easily switched around.

And if everyone leaves iPhone because xCloud is not on there, Apple will either change or go out of the phone business. It is that simple. If one product does not fit the needs of everyone, capitalism WILL play out.

If it does not, then maybe Apple should get out of the phone business if they would rather have their platform die.

 

[PaulKemp]

Much have been said already but this is damn near pathetic of apple. It is disappointing and consumer hostile, no matter what Apple say.

I am not ditching Apple because of this, it is simply not important enough, but we still have a right to voice our opinions and call them out when they make bad calls like this.

How did steam link get approved in the end?

In the end is there nothing else we can do? Petitions or something?

 

[Ethosik]

Much have been said already but this is damn near pathetic of apple. It is disappointing and consumer hostile, no matter what Apple say.

I am not ditching Apple because of this, it is simply not important enough, but we still have a right to voice our opinions and call them out when they make bad calls like this.

How did steam link get approved in the end?

In the end is there nothing else we can do? Petitions or something?

Steam Link got approved because its games you already purchased. Not a Cloud Service similar to Software as a Service Model. Steam Link is not SaaS, but just allowing you to play games you already purchased.

 

[happygodavid]

Like they care, apple are all about doing it their way instead of thinking about what the user wants. Sadly they are becoming even more restrictive than before.

In some ways, you're right; they do what they do, and it often results in outcry, especially if it involves moving on from technology that is widely used. However, they do listen to feedback. They read it all, compile it, and they figure out what needs to be heard, what needs to be ignored, and what are good ideas they should consider. One recent example of them doing their own thing but also listening to feedback: the escape key on the MBP. They stayed committed to their new tech (Touchbar) but listened to feedback and brought back the escape key. It's not as black and white as not "thinking about what the user wants." Source: working at Apple for nearly 5 years.

 

[Investor27]

I'm new to this whole Game Pass Ultimate. Can I play Game Pass games on my Macbook Pro without having to install Windows?

 

[Ethosik]

I'm new to this whole Game Pass Ultimate. Can I play Game Pass games on my Macbook Pro without having to install Windows?

I am pretty sure it is just Windows 10 and Android. No macOS or Linux support.

 

[mrcloaked]

Switching is hard.

 

[Ethosik]

You still seem to think people can switch phones willy-nilly and are not deeply entrenched and rooted in one ecosystem. Leaving an essential (keyword essential) platform like a phone is no small matter for most people, especially considering lock-in like iMessage, Apple Watch, HomePod, the list goes on. This is not like PlayStation/Xbox where you can plop both down next to each other and choose whichever you fancy playing at any time.

No, competition of phone apps should be considered at the OS & ecosystem level, not outside of it.

What is preventing you from moving to Android? I can move there tomorrow and I have tens of thousands of dollars spent on iTunes content.

 

[mrcloaked]

I guess it's easy.

 

[PaulKemp]

I am not switching my preferred phone platform due to this. Someone seems to be trolling in this thread.

Anyway; is there something we can do? How do we put pressure on Apple to change this?

 

[Rogifan]

Gruber wrote about this here: https://daringfireball.net/2020/08/applespeak_to_english_xbox_game_pass

I actually prefer Jason Snell’s take from the latest Upgrade podcast. He said instead of rejecting this Apple should welcome it and say our devices are the best place to play these games. Apple won’t do that though because they don’t want to be thought of as the equivalent of a dumb pipe, a thin client. They shouldn’t care so long as people are buying their devices but this is where the services revenue and platform control tension comes in. If game streaming really takes off it will impact gaming on iOS (and all the money Apple makes from game IAP).

 

[motulist]

I am not switching my preferred phone platform due to this. Someone seems to be trolling in this thread.

Anyway; is there something we can do? How do we put pressure on Apple to change this?

Don't buy any more of their stuff. I don't just mean not buying apple arcade, I mean not buying any iOS or iOS-related hardware like iPhone or airpods, not buying new apple services, cancelling any apple services you already pay for, etc. To change a company's behavior, this is the strongest power you have. Use it.

 

[jrlcopy]

I've been using Google Stadia lately, and it's pretty great despite the limited game selection. Has many advantages:

- Play games that you otherwise can't on Mac
- Games run on server and "load" super fast
- Great graphics even on low-end system, don't need fancy graphics card
- No long downloads, patch downloads, or games taking up 10s of GB in HDD space
- Much better battery life on mobile devices
- Pick up where you left off on a different device
- Makes cheating harder

I'm convinced: Streaming is the future of games.

I'm using GeForce Now. It's really awesome, can't believe it's streaming.

 

[Reason077]

I'm using GeForce Now. It's really awesome, can't believe it's streaming.

I tried the free tier of GeForce Now and was disappointed with the experience compared to Stadia. It felt clunky how you have to go through the Steam interface and “download”/install the games as if you were using a windows machine. It seemed laggy at times for me, but of course that could vary depending on location etc. And in general it seemed to take a long time to get up and running.

Stadia felt like a much more polished experience to me. A real “Netflix for games”. Admittedly it’s game library is a lot more limited, but that’s improving!

 

[Bayshun]

I am not switching my preferred phone platform due to this. Someone seems to be trolling in this thread.

Anyway; is there something we can do? How do we put pressure on Apple to change this?

Your only option is to create or join a public pressure campaign to try and get Apple to change its mind. Try and show Apple that the cost of not doing so is greater than the cost otherwise. This could take years, and there are no guarantees of success.

 

[MacCheetah3]

You still seem to think people can switch phones willy-nilly and are not deeply entrenched and rooted in one ecosystem. Leaving an essential (keyword essential) platform like a phone is no small matter for most people, especially considering lock-in like iMessage, Apple Watch, HomePod, the list goes on. This is not like PlayStation/Xbox where you can plop both down next to each other and choose whichever you fancy playing at any time.

 

[PaulKemp]

There is a petition

Can you spare a minute to help Tomas Berg?

Let Apple approve XCloud on iOS to let users stream Xbox games to their Apple devices

chng.it

 

[PaulKemp]

Bumping this since there are new news.

Microsoft doing the only logical thing, making Cloud Streaming work from the browser to circumvent the Apple App Stores limitations

Microsoft's Phil Spencer reportedly said xCloud is coming to iOS

Notably, the 10 principles only apply to Windows, and not Microsoft’s Xbox console gaming platform, which is far more restricted.

www.engadget.com

 

[WordsmithMR]

Surprised that they’re not pushing their Edge browser and tying Xcloud to that browser. They could’ve been petty and done that, like Sony did with their phones and Remote Play, forcing mainstream iOS users away from Safari but they didn’t. Good job Microsoft.

 

[PortoMavericks]

I didn’t know Safari supports gamepad input.

 

[enc0re]

I didn’t know Safari supports gamepad input.

Amazon made a special controller that directly connects to the cloud. Supposedly that lowers lag too.

Either Microsoft gets an exemption for a Bluetooth controller (MFi for Safari?) or they'll go the Amazon route.

 

[PaulKemp]

Surprised that they’re not pushing their Edge browser and tying Xcloud to that browser. They could’ve been petty and done that, like Sony did with their phones and Remote Play, forcing mainstream iOS users away from Safari but they didn’t. Good job Microsoft.

Yes this! Exactly what I thought they would do. Use edge (thus forcing users to use it for cloud streaming) and make a api that allows for controller input.

 

[TopherMan12]

Surprised that they’re not pushing their Edge browser and tying Xcloud to that browser. They could’ve been petty and done that, like Sony did with their phones and Remote Play, forcing mainstream iOS users away from Safari but they didn’t. Good job Microsoft.

What do you mean about Sony again? I thought Remote play is done through an app rather than a browser.