Microsoft has directly accused Apple of standing in the way of its plans to launch an Xbox mobile web store, pointing to the iPhone maker’s restrictive App Store policies as the core issue.
A year ago, Microsoft intended to roll out a mobile storefront for Xbox in July 2024. That didn’t happen. According to a recent court filing, the delay wasn’t a technical failure or a change of heart. It was Apple.
In the document filed on Tuesday, Microsoft backed Epic Games in its case with Apple over the latter’s policies in app distribution and in-app payments. Microsoft’s concern was that Apple’s policies limit competition by blocking developers from offering alternative payment systems directly to users.
“The district court’s injunction allows Apple to maintain its in-app exclusivity but at least should have enabled Microsoft to offer consumers a workable solution by launching its own online store, accessible via link-out, for in-app items to be purchased off-app and used in games or other apps. And that is what Microsoft wants to do. But even this solution has been stymied by Apple,” Microsoft said in its filing.
Apple’s so-called “anti-steering” policy has made it difficult, even impossible, for companies like Microsoft to inform users about or link to external payment options.
The policy has had a direct financial impact on Microsoft, which says the restrictions create higher operational costs than before the court’s intervention.
Although the recent court ruling technically allows developers to communicate alternative purchase methods, Microsoft has been cautious. The risk is that if Apple’s appeal succeeds and the court grants a temporary stay, Microsoft might be forced to shut the store down shortly after launch.
That hesitation is rooted in practical experience. Microsoft noted in its filing, “Apple makes no argument that the technical or policy changes cannot be undone.” It urged the court to enforce the current injunction while Apple’s appeal plays out.
Beyond the Xbox store, Apple’s restrictions have also affected how Microsoft operates its main Xbox mobile app on iOS.
The company explained, “Microsoft has long sought to enable Xbox app users on iOS to both buy and stream games in the app from the cloud or their other devices. Apple’s policies have restricted Microsoft’s ability to offer these functionalities together; the injunction allows Microsoft to explore this possibility.”
Currently, iOS users can’t buy a game and stream it within the same Xbox app. Instead, they’re forced to leave the app and access Xbox Cloud Gaming through a browser, a clunky workaround that undercuts user experience.
Meanwhile, on Android, Microsoft’s attempt to roll out similar features has been limited. Sarah Bond, Xbox President, announced last year that Android users would soon be able to buy and play games within the Xbox app.
But following a court ruling that forced Google to loosen its grip on app distribution, the rollout was delayed. Bond attributed the delay to a “temporary administrative stay.”
