by Dan Moren
Apple changes game streaming rules on iOS
There’s a lot to unpack in Apple’s announcements about its changes for the European Union, and we’ll certainly be digging into that, but the company actually announced another big change that will apply across the globe:
Today, Apple is introducing new options for how apps globally can deliver in-app experiences to users, including streaming games and mini-programs. Developers can now submit a single app with the capability to stream all of the games offered in their catalog.
Apps will also be able to provide enhanced discovery opportunities for streaming games, mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins that are found within their apps.
Additionally, mini-apps, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins will be able to incorporate Apple’s In-App Purchase system to offer their users paid digital content or services for the first time, such as a subscription for an individual chatbot.
As you might recall, this was a source of contention between Apple and Microsoft back in 2020, when the latter was working on an iOS version of its GamePass service, but ended up not being able to release it because of App Store rules.
It certainly seems as though that (along with competing services from Sony and Nvidia) will now be possible, though so far I haven’t seen any comment from those companies about whether or not they plan to bring them to market.