Don't Expect an Xbox Cloud Gaming App on Your iPhone Any Time Soon

It's been several months since Apple opened up its App Store to cloud gaming apps, but the biggest cloud gaming services have yet to take advantage. Microsoft has spilled the beans as to why this is to UK regulators, and judging from years of legal battles around the world, Apple's not going to be happy.

Why We Haven't Seen Xbox Cloud Gaming on iPhone Before

Microsoft was not the first company to introduce cloud gaming, but the launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming in 2020 was one of the first widely successful and accessible cloud gaming services. NVIDIA released a public version of its cloud gaming service, also in 2020. After a slow but steady start, its GeForce Now service has grown to now have twice as many users as Xbox Cloud Gaming.

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Neither was available on iOS at first as cloud gaming apps fell foul of Apple's App Store guidelines. By the end of 2021, cloud gamers of both services could overcome this obstacle by playing through a regular internet web browser on iPhone and iPad.

Epic Games was the first developer of significance to push back against Apple's overbearing rules in court. It hoped to force Apple to allow an Epic Games store to operate that would bypass the Apple App Store payment system.

This case was closely observed by international regulators, and it drew attention to the issue of equity in mobile digital marketplaces. However, the judge found in favor of Apple on 9 of the 10 counts in 2021. Epic Games continued to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court which denied the final appeals in 2024.

In 2023, sweeping new regulations were announced in the EU with the goal of ensuring a higher degree of competition in digital marketplaces. These affected 22 services across 6 companies identified as "gatekeepers". One of these gatekeeper companies was Apple, and their Apple App Store for iOS devices was identified as one of the services requiring regulation.

In 2024, Apple announced changes in the EU that would comply with the new regulations and allow iPhone and iPad users to download apps from other marketplaces besides the Apple App Store. The Epic Games Store and other app marketplaces are currently only available on iOS in the EU.

Perhaps to get ahead of the storm, Apple changed its guidelines to allow cloud gaming apps in the Apple App Store worldwide. This change also saw emulators arrive on the App Store for the first time ever.

An Xbox Cloud Gaming App Is Still Unlikely to Happen

The UK is no longer part of the EU and is currently working on digital marketplace regulations of its own. Microsoft has submitted a complaint in the UK to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in charge of developing these regulations, stating that the changes Apple made to its Apple App Store guidelines to allow cloud gaming apps worldwide are not enough.

Microsoft said it can not operate an Xbox Cloud Gaming iOS app due to Apple's notoriously high commission fees "that are not economically sustainable more justifiable." You can feel the burn, even through the corporate speak.

Microsoft also complained about Apple's requirement that all content, subscriptions, and features be in-app purchases. Microsoft says that would be technically impossible or at least prohibitively difficult. Many gamers have cross-platform subscriptions directly with developers like Epic Games.

In the US, Congressional committees have formed to study these issues, and the DOJ has launched a lawsuit. However, it's unlikely a resolution will be reached this year.

You Can Still Stream Xbox Games in Your Browser

When responding to prior complaints, Apple has pointed out the number of users currently cloud gaming over Safari or other web apps on iOS. They claim this proves Microsoft isn't being financially harmed by current rules.

Already a Game Pass subscriber, I decided to give it a try on my iPad in the Chrome Browser. It was astonishingly easy! I can see myself or my kids using this, especially when we're on vacation and all have to share one console.

I opened up the Chrome app and navigated to the Xbox website. On the home page, I selected "Play" and entered my login credentials.

Before I knew it, I was looking at my regular Xbox dashboard. I was too lazy to get up and grab a controller, and that's how I discovered the iPad controls for Fortnite have an auto-fire option. Don't mind if I do!

I can honestly say that's the first Fortnite "top 10" that I've accomplished while lying down.

Performance can be choppy, and you'll lag at times. I'm certain you'll have a better time with a dedicated app, but it's still worth a dabble. Playing in a browser over the cloud didn't impact my gameplay to a prohibitive degree. Maybe Microsoft doesn't need a dedicated cloud gaming app, after all.