Microsoft's xCloud Unavailable on iOS at Launch, Future Uncertain

revanmj said:
Explanation is simple - most cloud gaming services have their own payments and app on iOS would be a simple "viewer" that does not make any money for Apple. Just like with ability to buy ebooks right within the Kindle app - you can't do it, since Apple can't profit from it.
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Sounds great for Apple and terrible for consumers. Who owns these devices after you buy them from Apple?

This is way too similar to Netflix and they have no problem with it.
 
I’ll be honest Apple is the only smart phone I’ve ever used but this is pushing me towards android. Will cloud gaming replace my console? No, but got it would be so nice to run bounties on D2 on downtime.
 
No way the service doesn’t come to iOS and probably sooner than later. Xbox (and their other gaming services) is almost exclusively a success in the English speaking world, the same places where iOS has the most market share. Japan too, which is important as Microsoft is trying again to get into their lucrative gaming market, not only has a huge iOS market share but also is somewhere cloud gaming is really taking off. They need that iOS support to succeed, there is no way around it.
 
This is a serious issue in my mind. This is a very anti-consumer move on Apple's part. Will I move to Android because of it? Well, I've been seriously considering it, until I realized that I have an Apple Watch, which is not compatible with Android at all. It's super frustrating.
 
redman042 said:
There is absolutely a reason for it. It's too huge tech companies competing for services business. Services have become a major profit center for both of these companies. This is everything to them and their shareholders. Most likely Apple would allow this on their platform but only if they get a cut, which Microsoft is probably not willing to give. Or maybe they are, but the dispute is about amounts. Who knows. And whatever happens here extends to every other company that wants to stream games on Apple's platform.

I certainly don't like this from a consumer point of view, and there is a fair argument that this has gone too far. But I'm not the least bit surprised by it. We've been watching similar issues play out with satellite and cable TV, where network stations go offline because they can't reach a deal on fees, and then the consumer gets dragged into the fight.
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There’s no reason something like Stadia works on the Mac while not allowing it on the iPhone. There needs to be some consistency. I don’t care what the reasons are, it’s very bad for the consumer, and Apple needs to dislodge their heads from their rectums on certain things.
 
MosesOlsen said:
This is a serious issue in my mind. This is a very anti-consumer move on Apple's part. Will I move to Android because of it? Well, I've been seriously considering it, until I realized that I have an Apple Watch, which is not compatible with Android at all. It's super frustrating.
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Indy sparky said:
I’ll be honest Apple is the only smart phone I’ve ever used but this is pushing me towards android. Will cloud gaming replace my console? No, but got it would be so nice to run bounties on D2 on downtime.
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Same here. iPhone was my first smartphone, but this seriously is the first thing making me re-consider my future purchases of an iPhone and/or iPad so that I can use my game subscriptions. That's crazy to me because I've been an Apple fanboy for a decade.

For those of you reading that aren't big gamers, that's great that you're unaffected by this. But imagine if the same rule applied to cloud-based movie or tv show apps? Or cloud-based music apps? Stadia (also based on cloud streaming, and not allowed on iOS) works perfectly fine on MacOS, so I imagine xCloud will be on MacOS too. I don't understand why Apple have this double standard on MacOS vs iOS.

Then as I'm about to post reply, I remember that Apple DOES take a cut from apps that are from the Mac App Store, but not when downloaded from elsewhere. I really don't want Apple to open the floodgates to download apps from anywhere, that would be terrible. But this current position of not allowing a cloud-based game (when other media are fine) streaming app is also terrible. In the end, we consumers lose in this position, while Apple makes their way to 2 trillion.
 
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cocky jeremy said:
So yeah... go get an Android.
[automerge]1596644615[/automerge]

Yeah. Lets ignore what the trillion dollar company is doing because Mr Forum Guy knows more than Apple.
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Nah you're right, we should just suck it up and let Apple continue with their anti-consumer BS because some corporation superfan can't handle seeing that corporation get even a little bit of flack.
 
endlessike said:
Umm, I subscribe to Shadow and its amazing. Try again.
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I looked up Shadow, and I see that it's a monthly subscription service to stream games from the cloud to your devices, and they have an iOS app. This is essentially what Microsoft is doing with xCloud. According to the article, App Store guidelines ban services that rely on streaming games from the cloud. So my question is (to anyone that may know), why is Shadow allowed on the App Store? Have Shadow simply been under the radar? It wouldn't be the first time an app gets pulled after getting some publicity. In fact, the Steam Link App was initially on the app store before it was pulled.

EDIT: I received a really good explanation in a reply, a few messages below.
 
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I hope Apple changes its mind because I’m interested in services like xCloud. Hopefully they’ll bring it to macOS at least
 
this shows why competition in these spaces is so essential. For example Apple TV+ is magically available on unwashed Roku etc even though other content purchased through apple gets locked down to just apple devices (sometimes PCs, but not other devices)
 
darkslide29 said:
[...] why is Shadow allowed on the App Store? Have Shadow simply been under the radar?
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Shadow gives you access to a full Windows machine that you're able to install and play games on, making it a ‘generic mirror of the host device’ according to the App Store Review Guidelines for Remote Desktop Clients (4.2.7). GeForce Now, Stadia, xCloud etc. on the other hand only offer access to specific software (games) and therefore have to comply with the restrictions listed under the mentioned guideline (e.g. only stream from a local PC or console, like Steam Link and PS4 Remote Play).

The Shadow app actually got pulled by Apple earlier this year and they had to get rid of everything that promoted it as a gaming service in order to get it re-approved. That’s why they basically stripped the whole App Store description and replaced it with a single line, that the App would give you access to your Shadow computer.
 
It's probably a security concern. Being able to remote connect from a different network, means people can remote connect to your phone.

Streaming services already exist on iOS so, I'm not sure what's the issue with Stadia. xCloud is currently in beta. Apple doesn't allow beta apps into the App Store, they must use TestFlight.
 
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revanmj said:
Explanation is simple - most cloud gaming services have their own payments and app on iOS would be a simple "viewer" that does not make any money for Apple. Just like with ability to buy ebooks right within the Kindle app - you can't do it, since Apple can't profit from it.
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But I can in fact *view* my Kindle books in an app available on the App Store, even though I cannot buy them there.
Conversely I can buy games on the Microsoft Store through the Xbox app. But I cannot *view* them?
I am still unconvinced.
 
aconnell11 said:
It is.
This is not an “app streaming service”. It’s a service to stream Xbox games. Don’t make it something it isn’t.
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Fortnite is on iOS and Xbox. If Microsoft offered Epic 100% of the cut, Epic would remove Fortnite from the App Store and tell iOS users that it’s available on Microsoft’s platform, bypassing Apple’s 30% cut for in app purchases.

Do you understand now?
 
farewelwilliams said:
Fortnite is on iOS and Xbox. If Microsoft offered Epic 100% of the cut, Epic would remove Fortnite from the App Store and tell iOS users that it’s available on Microsoft’s platform, bypassing Apple’s 30% cut for in app purchases.

Do you understand now?
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Why should apple get a dime from Epic for IAP?
 
aconnell11 said:
Why should apple get a dime from Epic for IAP?
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Because Apple built the platform, tools, and services that all developers have access to, regardless if they utilize the resources or not. Same way that Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo get 30% from game sales on their platform.
 
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