Microsoft backed Epic Games in court and explained why it still has not launched the Xbox Mobile Store on smartphones

Fortnite has returned to the US App Store, but Apple could challenge the court ruling on appeal — this is slowing down the development of Microsoft’s mobile efforts.

The launch of the Xbox Mobile Store, originally scheduled for July 2024, has not yet taken place. The Verge Senior Editor Tom Warren noted that Microsoft filed a court brief supporting Epic Games — as part of the ongoing dispute with Apple regarding App Store policies. In the document, the company explains why it has not yet launched its own mobile store.

Previously, the court allowed developers to place links to external payment methods within apps. This enabled Epic to return Fortnite to the App Store with an alternative payment system. Microsoft was counting on a similar model for the Xbox Store, but now fears that Apple could overturn this ruling, forcing the launch to be shut down.

According to the company, even with the current court ruling in effect, Apple maintains a number of restrictions — in particular, prohibiting developers from informing users about third-party payment methods and creating additional economic hurdles. Microsoft worries that if Apple's appeal in the Epic Games case is granted, the old rules will return, and the Xbox Mobile Store will have to be closed.

At the moment, individual payment functions have appeared in the iOS version of the Xbox app, but there is still no full-fledged store that combines purchases and streaming. The reason is the same: App Store policies prohibit using these features within a single app. Microsoft has no choice but to await the final verdict in Epic v. Apple before resuming plans to launch its mobile store.

The situation with Android is not much better yet. Xbox President Sarah Bond previously announced plans to launch a full-fledged Xbox Store in the Android app in the fall of 2024. However, the launch was postponed due to a “temporary administrative stay” related to the antitrust proceedings against Google.

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Cover author: Xbox Cover source: Wccftech