iPhone and iPad Users Can Now Enjoy Microsoft’s ‘Netflix-for-gaming’ Service

This week, Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service which operates like Netflix or Spotify, rolls out in beta to Apple phones and tablets. 

The Vice President & Head of Product, Project xCloud, Catherine Gluckstein, shared this news on the company’s website on April 19th, 2021. She has said that invites would be sent to select Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to start testing the Xbox Cloud Gaming limited beta for Windows 10 PCs and iPhones and iPads through web browsers. 

Since September 15, 2020 when the service was launched it wasn’t available on Apple’s phones and tablets. An Apple spokesperson who spoke to Business Insider confirmed that Apple is unable to review each game that’s available through Game Pass.

“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,” said the Apple spokesperson.

Apple, who’s now ready, has urged the companies to use web browsers to redesign their services so that they could circumvent the rules on the App Store. Under the rules, Microsoft, Google and other companies with similar services would go ahead to offer each game as an individual download instead of offering a complete library the way Netflix does for movies. 

Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming is sort of like Netflix for games. Anyone can subscribe to the $14.99/month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate plan and have access to more than 100 games. It allows you to stream the games without having to download them. You’d have to have a fast internet connection to enjoy the fun. It’s already on Android phones. 

Because of the company’s mission  to make gaming more accessible to people around the world, they’ve promised that they will be sending further invites to gamers in these 22 supported countries. Gluckstein has said that the plan is to iterate quickly and open up to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members in the coming months so more people have the opportunity to play Xbox in all-new ways.