Xbox Cloud Gaming brings Series X power to iPhone and iPad
You can now play Xbox games on an iPhone and iPad. Microsoft has officially launched Xbox Cloud Gaming on Apple phones and tablets via web browsers.
As teased earlier this year, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can now enjoy the hundreds of titles cloud library, on the go, through Apple’s Safari, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers. The roll out is also available for Windows 10 PCs from today, also via web browsers. The feature remains in beta on all platforms.
Because users are streaming the content from cloud servers based on the Xbox Series X hardware, there’ll be no need to leverage the power of the iPhone and iPad, meaning fewer sacrifices. Microsoft does say it is limiting the resolution and frame rate to ensure low latency though.
In an Xbox Wire post, Catherine Gluckstein, VP/Head of Xbox Cloud Gaming said: “We’ve been upgrading Microsoft data centres around the globe with the fastest, most powerful Xbox hardware to give you faster load times, improved frame rates, and an experience of a new generation of gaming. To ensure the lowest latency, highest quality experience across the broadest set of devices, we will be streaming at 1080p and up to 60fps. Going forward we’ll continue to innovate and add more features to enhance your cloud gaming experience.”
Microsoft had promised the functionality would be coming soon just two weeks ago and we’re excited to give the iOS portion of the service a try paired with a new Xbox Wireless controller, which Apple recently began supporting.
The proliferation of Game Pass on a wide range of platforms is potentially giving Microsoft an advantage over Sony in the next-gen console wars.
Microsoft is boosting its portfolio of future exclusives via the Bethesda acquisition and its in-house offerings to narrow the gap with Sony in that regard. If cloud gaming becomes a major selling point for the new generation, Microsoft has a clear advantage over its old rival.