This week, Microsoft confirmed that its xCloud test flight program had ended.
Rather than announcing that xCloud would be coming to the App Store – a service which allows users to access and play 100+ Xbox games on a mobile phone or tablet, converting an Xbox into a server – Microsoft said that the new service would be exclusive to Android, sparking suggestions of issues at Apple.
Since the announcement, Apple has released a statement, confirming that xCloud and rival Google Stadia won’t be coming to the App Store any time soon. “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.
“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.”
According to App Store guidelines, developers can’t rely on streaming from the cloud, meaning all cloud-based services cannot be hosted on the App Store. Apple, too, holds itself up to this rule – Apple Arcade games must be downloaded from the Arcade tab and aren’t streamed.
Speaking of its decision, Apple said: “Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and gaming services can absolutely launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers including submitting games individually for review and appearing in charts and search.”
Do you think Apple has made the right decision? Let us know and check back soon for more.
