Apple Clarifies Why Microsoft's xCloud Game Streaming Service Isn't On iPhone

Apple Fellow and head of the App Store Phil Schiller testified in the ongoing Epic vs. Apple trial on Monday, and he responded to criticism from Microsoft (via CNET) that the App Store's rules are burdensome for consumers. Microsoft's criticisms focused particularly on how those rules interact with streaming services like the company's xCloud.

Schiller, who previously led the company's worldwide marketing for 30 years, said that Apple's approach to the App Store is consistent and thoughtful. The main issue at play here is Apple's requirement that all game streaming services submit its individual apps to the App Store for review. For services like xCloud, that means that Microsoft has to submit listings for hundreds of games.

Schiller stated that this requirement is justified because Apple would like to provide certain information to users for every app on the App Store, including an age rating, parental controls, and a product page. Critics of Apple have often pointed out that the company does not require streaming services like Netflix to submit listings and product pages for each item in their catalog. Schiller responded to that criticism, stating that the nature of interactive games requires the company to provide more information than just a streaming video.

The ongoing Epic v. Apple trial concerns many of the same issues that Microsoft has spoken publicly about in the past, albeit in a slightly different way. For more information on the lawsuit, which has the potential to have a large impact on how Apple runs the App Store, check out our primer. Questions about the definition of "games" that are actually creative platforms like Roblox could end up deciding the trial, though it's difficult to draw any conclusions at this stage.