Microsoft wants to bring xCloud to iOS users through a browser-based solution

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If you’ve been keeping up with Microsoft’s game streaming service, xCloud, you’re almost certainly aware that it doesn’t play nicely with iOS. Well, actually, it doesn’t play at all. This is due to Apple’s restrictive App Store policies.

Now, according to a new report from Business Insider, Microsoft is looking at solutions to bring the game streaming service to iPhones and iPads. The plan? Offer the service through a browser-based solution. Essentially, this skips the App Store completely, and it is the same approach Amazon’s new game streaming service, Luna, is using.

Apple has “tried” to work with game streaming services by updating its rules, but these rules are still pretty restrictive. Basically, companies like Google (Stadia) and Microsoft (xCloud) would have to submit every single game to the Apple App Store as an individual app. The companies could then create a cataloging app that brings all of the individual games/apps together.

It’s a convoluted, ridiculous approach that isn’t sitting well with these companies, which is why they are looking for alternatives – such as browser-based solutions.

There’s no specific timeframe currently for when gamers can expect xCloud on iOS, but the report from BI states it could be early 2021. Microsoft does hope that it can continue to work with Apple to make an actual work on the platform

What do you think? How do you feel about Apple’s policies regarding game streaming? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Josiah Motley

Former KnowTechie editor.