Cloud gaming is the next big thing in the gaming industry, or so we are told. Earlier this year, Microsoft launched its own game streaming service as part of its console-free subscription service, Game Pass.

The game streaming feature is currently only available on Android, but that is about to change. Microsoft just announced that Game Pass streaming will be available on iOS and PC in spring 2021.

But there's a catch: while Android users can download the Game Pass app and stream games there, iOS users have to go through a web browser. PC gamers, however, don't have that problem, and Microsoft has confirmed that they can play from both the web browser and the Xbox app.

It has been clear for some time that Game Pass on iOS is headed in this direction, although Microsoft did not elaborate on why in its announcement. Apple has notoriously rejected all cloud gaming services, declaring them to be in violation of their terms of service.

The logic is that Apple cannot review individual titles on cloud gaming services. Cloud streaming itself is not permitted, but each game requires its own individual app. In addition, each game would require an in-app purchase to "unlock features and functionality," which would defeat the purpose of providing a subscription service.

However, browser workarounds are allowed, and Google Stadia has already had some success. As long as Microsoft allows us to stream matches on our iPhones and iPads, we can't complain.

Unfortunately, Xbox console owners will still have to wait a bit before they can stream games from the cloud on their consoles; Xbox Series S owners will be especially disappointed with the length of this wait. This is because the built-in 512GB SSD does not have room to store a large number of games for immediate retrieval.

And with a mix of Android, iOS, and Windows PCs, it will be hard to find someone who doesn't have a machine with access to Game Pass' cloud library. Microsoft does not need to rush into console support before it is absolutely necessary.

We don't know the exact dates for the iOS and PC launches, but at least "spring" is a little more reassuring than "soon."