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The promise of game streaming includes the ability to play games on almost any device, but that promise falls a bit short when you factor in Apple’s platform. Apple gave a big “no” to streaming services like Microsoft’s xCloud and Google Stadia, perhaps in favor of something that could be released later. With that being said, there are other ways to play non-iOS games on iPhones and Microsoft’s latest beta of its Xbox for iOS app shows one way.
The new Xbox beta app that has just been released for both Android and iOS includes an important key feature. It enabled remote play and even remote installations, allowing users to play Xbox titles on their mobile devices. However, unlike xCloud, this capability comes with an important requirement. You must have an Xbox console.
Remote Play has become the umbrella term for a different kind of game streaming. Rather than streaming from the cloud, you’re streaming games you already own from a console or, in the case of Steam Link, from your home computer. It’s pretty much a very specialized version of remote desktop access, simply optimized for games.
However, a special ability of the Xbox app is being able to connect to an Xbox even via mobile data. This means that, in theory, you can stream from your Xbox at home while you’re away from home. You can even install games remotely so you don’t have to worry about remembering to leave the console on and install the correct game before you leave.
It remains to be seen if that latter functionality will conflict with Apple’s App Store policies. Valve faced such problems when it released its Steam Link app on iOS, eventually granting disabling certain features that allowed users to purchase Steam games from their iPhones.
