Apple has confirmed that it will not allow services like Google Stadia, xCloud, and GeForce in the App Store, due to its policies.
Speaking to Business Insider this week, Apple clearly confirmed that it will not allow game streaming on iOS, as the company claims that these services violate App Store policy and, therefore, cannot exist on iPhone or iPad.
Apple's only key information about how these services violate policy is that Stadia, xCloud, and GeForce Now games all work as a team, not individually. As a result, games from Google Stadia don't appear in the App Store for iPhone or iPad users.
“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 make it to our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines designed to protect customers and provide a level playing for developers.”
“Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and game services can exist in the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines that apply to all developers, including submitting games individually for review. In addition to the App Store, developers can choose to reach all iPhone and iPad users across the web, through Safari and other browsers in the App Store.”
Section 4.2.7 of the policy explains the terms for remote applications, which go beyond the basic restrictions that services like Stadia and xCloud make.
For example, Apple notes that the “central device and client must be connected to a local and LAN network.
But for cloud-streaming services, this is not the case.
Of course, there's also the trade-off. For Google Stadia to fully work on an iPad or iPhone, the company would have to use App Store pricing, which would, in turn, give Apple a 30% cut of game purchases and the monthly Pro subscription.
For now, Google Stadia, Microsoft xCloud, and GeForce Now simply can't exist on an iPhone or iPad, unfortunately. Let's hope Apple eventually reconsiders its policy on these kinds of services, given how cool game streaming is.
