Apple Updates App Store Rules to Allow Game Streaming Services
Apple revises its App Store guidelines to permit game streaming apps and clarify rules for iOS 14 features like App Clips. The update arrives as the company faces ongoing legal battles and regulatory scrutiny over its in-app purchase policies.
Apple releases updated App Store Guidelines to clarify how it handles new technologies like game streaming services, App Clips, and widgets. These changes arrive as the company battles Epic Games in court over in-app purchase requirements and faces regulatory scrutiny over monopolistic practices in the U.S., E.U., and Australia.
The revised rules detail how new iOS 14 features must function, requiring that App Clips, widgets, extensions, and notifications relate directly to the main app's content. Additionally, these features must be included in the main app binary and cannot contain any advertising.
A significant change addresses game streaming apps like Microsoft xCloud and Google Stadia by allowing them on the App Store under specific conditions. Each individual game must be submitted separately to Apple's App Review process to get its own listing, while a catalog app handles the actual service subscription through in-app purchases.