Xbox remote play feature shown running on iPhone, following Android launch

UPDATE: Microsoft is now testing the remote Xbox game streaming feature for the Xbox iOS app following the launch on Android this week.

The Verge’s Tom Warren posted a video of the feature in action on his iPhone handset, running  a preview version of the new Xbox application.

Warren showed the new Connect option within the app, which remotely hooks up to the Xbox console in his living room via the same Wi-Fi network. From there, the Xbox interface loads and he is able to access his library of games directly from the phone, even remotely playing Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey.

Presumably with word from Microsoft directly, Warren says: “this won’t be blocked by Apple, it’s all approved on their end,” which is great news for those fearing a repeat of the xCloud situation where Apple’s App Store guidelines is making life difficult for Microsoft and its legions of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

Warren says the update will land “real soon.”

Microsoft’s new Xbox app for iPhone lets you stream Xbox games to an iPhone 😎 It’s coming soon, and here’s how it works. More information here: https://t.co/zsQ7S2cEis pic.twitter.com/env64JlaAt

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) September 25, 2020

Original story continues below…

Earlier this week Microsoft announced a new version of its Xbox app that enables owners to stream their games directly from the console to their Android device.

A launch for iOS devices was conspicuous by its absence. However, according to a report on Wednesday, iPhone owners may not be waiting long for parity.

Microsoft told The Verge that Apple is currently reviewing the new Xbox app and, if approved, the remote play feature will be part of a new update.

The hope is that, unlike the xCloud portion of Game Pass currently causing friction between the two companies, there’ll be no issues with bringing the game streaming feature to iOS.

Whereas for xCloud/Game Pass, Apple wants Microsoft to submit every available game for review on an individual basis, streaming a user’s existing library from their console would come under the “Remote Desktop Client” app category, where different rules apply.

Section 4.2.7 of the App Store guidelines suggest Microsoft will be find because the game streaming services offers a “generic mirror of the host device” because it follows the Xbox One interface.

The company also lets Sony PS4 Remote Play functionality exist on its ecosystem and Microsoft’s new feature is pretty much the same. This all suggests the odds are in Microsoft’s favour here, but more importantly the favour of those Xbox gamers hoping to enjoy their games on an iOS device while the living room TV is in use.

In a blog post on Monday, Microsoft explained the feature that’s now available to all Android users: “If you love playing games, the new Xbox app (beta) is more useful than ever. We’re replacing the Console Streaming (Preview) with Xbox remote play in the new Xbox app (Beta). We’ve removed the requirement of being an Xbox Insider so starting today all Xbox gamers can play games downloaded to their consoles straight to their phones or tablets. With Xbox remote play, you can connect to your console and have access to Xbox One games already downloaded to your console including Xbox Game Pass titles.”