Microsoft has yet to release an Xbox Cloud Gaming app for iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. So, OneCast is solving the problem with its v3.0 update, available today.
OneCast has been around since 2018 and remains one of the best ways to stream Xbox games on Apple devices. That said, up until now, OneCast was exclusively a console-to-client solution—it supported local console streaming, it supported remote console streaming, but it couldn’t tap into Xbox Cloud Gaming.
This is finally changing with OneCast v3.0. It’s the biggest OneCast update in recent memory, and it introduces some general improvements along with the xCloud streaming implementation. You can now stream local games in a “high-quality” mode, toss an active game into a picture-in-picture window on iOS, and play local co-op by connecting multiple controllers to your client device, among other things.
Here are all major changes in the OneCast v3.0 update:
- Xbox Cloud Gaming Support: Requires GamePass Ultimate membership, no console required.
- High Quality Mode: Stream games from your Xbox in “High Quality” 1080p—OneCast hasn’t clarified any improvements in bitrate or frame rate that are provided by this mode.
- Redesigned Interface: OneCast v3.0 introduces a refined, redesigned UI.
- Picture-in-Picture Multitasking: Game in a PiP window while using other apps (iOS only).
- Advanced Control Options: Keyboard and mouse support for compatible Xbox games, plus Virtual Controller mode for precision aiming in any game.
- Local Co-Op: Connect multiple controllers to a single device for local multiplayer.
- External Display Support on iOS: Stream on-screen content to external monitors or TVs.
- Apple Device Game Mode: OneCast automatically places your Apple device into Game Mode, which reduces Bluetooth latency and notification frequency.
You don’t need an Xbox console to access Xbox Cloud Gaming in OneCloud. And, thanks to passthrough K&M support, XCloud titles can be played with a gamepad or a keyboard in mouse (though some XCloud games only work with a gamepad).
Additionally, OneCast now provides a seven-day free trial on iOS, iPadOS, and Apple TV. Free trials were previously limited to macOS.
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I should point out that Xbox Cloud Gaming does work on iPhone and iPad through the browser—you don’t need a separate app like OneCast, it’s just a more convenient and integrated option than Safari or Chrome. But third-party apps like OneCast are the only way to access Xbox Cloud Gaming on Apple TV, as tvOS does not support WebKit.
As for Apple’s App Store guidelines—well, it’s hard to say whether OneCast is breaking any rules. Cloud gaming apps are now allowed on iOS and can be distributed through the App Store, so that part of the equation is fine. But apps are not allowed to redirect customers to the browser for purchases or subscriptions, as this would make it impossible for Apple to collect fees (which is why Microsoft refuses to put out a dedicated Xbox Cloud Gaming app for iOS or Apple TV).
If OneCast does not provide a method to join GamePass, then it isn’t breaking any rules. But if Apple believes that the app is skirting App Store fees in some way, even if it’s an arbitrary thing, there may be cause for concern. (The fact that the OneCast v3.0 update was approved and is currently being distributed on the App Store is reassuring, obviously, I just can’t help but yap about App Store weirdness.)
The OneCast app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV is available at the Apple App Store. You can download the macOS version from the OneCast website. License keys are currently on sale for $15 but normally cost $25.
Source: OneCast
