3 min read
Microsoft today attributed the continued delay of its long‑promised Xbox Store to Apple’s restrictive App Store policies. This comes in the limelight right after the broader fallout from the Epic Games v. Apple litigation, making headlines.
Originally slated for July 2024, the Xbox store remains offline on iOS devices because Apple’s anti‑steering rules. These rules bar Microsoft from linking users to external purchase options or informing them about alternative payment methods.
Background: Xbox Store and App Store Policies
Microsoft first unveiled plans for an Xbox Store for mobile web in early 2024. Microsoft hoped to let subscribers browse, purchase, and play PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass titles directly within its iOS and Android apps.
Still, Microsoft’s amicus brief, which backs Epic Games’ case against Apple’s “anti-steering” clauses, condemns the practice of forbidding developers from guiding consumers to outside payment sites or showing alternative purchase links. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued an order in April 2025 letting developers link non-Apple payment options. Microsoft argues, meanwhile, that Apple has not yet fully adopted the modification, therefore hindering the opening of its shop.
Xbox Store Feature Trade‑Offs on iOS
In order to comply with Apple’s policies, Microsoft implemented in-app purchases for games. However, this necessitated the removal of the Xbox app’s remote play and bundled streaming capabilities.
This partial remedy enables Game Pass subscribers to purchase titles on iOS. However, it disrupts the seamless “browse-to-play” experience that is available on Android and PC. Microsoft cautions that Apple may rescind the limited concessions if the injunction is overturned on appeal if the court ruling is not promptly enforced.
Android Deployment Also Affected
Although Android’s Google Play Store doesn’t impose the same anti‑steering restrictions, Microsoft’s broader mobile store rollout has been caught in legal stays related to Epic’s parallel lawsuit against Google.
As a result, the Android version of the Xbox store remains in testing phases, delaying feature parity between the two major mobile platforms.
Implications for Developers and Users
Microsoft’s predicament illustrates the ripple effects of app‑store regulation on cross‑platform services. By tying Xbox’s mobile web store to the outcome of the Epic Games v. Apple case, the company highlights how App Store policies can hinder innovation and user choice.
Developers now face the uncertainty of shifting legal interpretations: even after winning the right to link to external payment options, they remain at Apple’s mercy to implement the changes. For users, the delay means continued reliance on PC or console purchases and manual subscription management outside the Xbox mobile ecosystem.
Microsoft has urged the court to enforce the existing injunction during Apple’s appeal, seeking clarity and stability for its mobile offerings.
