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

Microsoft's upcoming "Project xCloud" game streaming service is set to launch on September 15th, exclusively on Android devices. Despite extensive testing via TestFlight on iOS, xCloud's launch on iOS seems to have been postponed indefinitely.

microsoftxcloud

Project xCloud is Microsoft's "vision for game-streaming technology that will complement our console hardware and give gamers more choices in how and where they play." xCloud will be bundled as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $14.99 per month, with more than 100 games available.

App Store guidelines ban services that rely on streaming games from the cloud. Cloud gaming services, where users stream games live via an internet connection, are growing in popularity.

Although Microsoft has been trialing xCloud on iOS with a closed public preview of 10,000 testers, the company previously stated that testing was limited due to Apple's ‌App Store‌ policies. Unlike the Android version, the app was limited to streaming games from the cloud only, excluding the ability to stream games from an Xbox console.

"To comply with App Store policies, the preview experience on iOS may look and feel different for those who have been testing on Android," Microsoft warned ahead of launching the preview.

Only one title, "Halo: The Master Chief Collection," was available on the TestFlight app. This is because ‌App Store‌ rules state that "games offered in a game subscription must be owned or exclusively licensed by the developer."

"It's our ambition to scale cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass available on all devices, but we have nothing further to share at this time regarding iOS," a Microsoft spokesperson told The Verge.

Apple initially rejected Valve's Steam Link app due to "business conflicts," and it took almost a year to eventually be approved. Steam Link and Sony's PS4 Remote Play was approved only because the ‌App Store‌ allows remote desktop technology, but it is limited to devices on the same network.

Similar game streaming services Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now are still unavailable on iOS. A spokesperson for Nvidia, when asked about the challenge of reaching iOS users with GeForce Now, told Bloomberg, "Ask Apple."

The TestFlight preview of xCloud has ended today and will no longer function. This is due to Apple's automatic expiry date on all TestFlight apps, indicating that it has been 90 days since the preview was updated. The future of xCloud on iOS now seems to be uncertain, and it is unknown whether development will continue.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...
maxresdefault

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...

Top Rated Comments

johnnytravels Avatar
64 months ago
I still haven’t found a good explanation for this policy...
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
64 months ago
Its simple, they disallow it because they can't monetize it. its a joke.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Don Onez Avatar
64 months ago

Pretty cut and dry. Apple doesn't accept apps like this. Want it? Buy an Android and move on.
Thanks for your divine input. ?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hlfway2anywhere Avatar
64 months ago
Apple needs to address this and find a solution. It’s getting to be absurd. I’m embarrassed for them.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sethal Avatar
64 months ago
This is very upsetting for a lot of potential xCloud users and why these antitrust hearings and similar are necessary.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JKAussieSkater Avatar
64 months ago
I really hope the EU antitrust investigation into the App Store leads to resolving this problem once and for all:

Give power to the people, and let them make their own choices about what apps they want on their phones.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)