Microsoft Not Planning on Xbox Cloud Gaming App for iOS Because There's 'Not Room' for Monetization
Microsoft does not plan to bring an Xbox Cloud Gaming app to iOS at this time because there's no opportunity for monetization, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in an interview with The Verge. When asked whether Apple's recent app ecosystem changes in the European Union make "room" for Xbox Cloud Gaming on iOS, Spencer said that monetization was an issue, and that the Digital Markets Act forcing Apple's updates does not "go far enough to open up competition."
There's not room for us to monetize Xbox Cloud Gaming on iOS. I think the proposal that Apple put forward -- and I thought Sarah Bond's comments on this were right on -- doesn't go far enough to open up. In fact, you might even say they go the opposite direction in some way, but they definitely don't go far enough to open up competition on the world's largest gaming platform.
We will continue to work with regulators, and Apple and Google, to create a space for alternative storefronts. I'm a big fan of how Windows works, and you've got a Microsoft Store on Windows, you've got Steam, you've got the Epic Games Store, you've got GOG. You have alternatives, and I think alternative ways for people to buy things creates goodness for consumers and creators. I think the largest platform for gamers, which is mobile, should have the same.
Spencer said that earlier comments from Xbox President Sarah Bond were "right on." Back in January, Bond said that Apple's policy is a "step in the wrong direction." According to Spencer, Microsoft plans to continue to work with regulators to "create a space for alternative storefronts."
In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act requires Apple to allow for alternative app marketplaces and alternative payment methods, but Apple is requiring developers who opt to use an alternative app marketplace to agree to new business terms that include a Core Development Fee of .50 euros per user. Companies like Spotify and Epic Games have criticized Apple's implementation of the DMA's requirements. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said that Apple's plan is a "complete and total farce," while Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said Apple's implementation is a "devious new instance of malicious compliance."
Alongside the changes in the European Union under the DMA, Apple also changed its App Store policies around cloud gaming apps. Apple now allows streaming game apps on the App Store worldwide, with the apps able to offer a selection of games from within a single app. Previously, cloud gaming services were only available via a web interface.
Popular Stories
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon.
Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week.
iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you.
Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28.
The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports.
In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. iOS 26.2 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products.
Here's what's supposedly coming:
An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1.
Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
