Apple\u2019s new plan<\/a> to comply with the European Union\u2019s tech regulations has already drawn criticism from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney<\/a> and Spotify<\/a>. Now Microsoft is weighing in with its own concerns, calling the App Store changes in the EU \u201ca step in the wrong direction.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Apple has proposed a new Core Technology Fee<\/a> for apps that want to operate on third-party app stores in the EU. It will require developers using third-party app stores to pay \u20ac0.50 for each annual app install after 1 million downloads. Apple will also still take a 17 percent commission from the developers who choose to use third-party payment processors.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cApple\u2019s new policy is a step in the wrong direction,\u201d says Xbox president Sarah Bond in a post on X<\/a>. \u201cWe hope they listen to feedback on their proposed plan and work towards a more inclusive future for all.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Bond is now responsible<\/a> for overseeing all of Microsoft\u2019s Xbox platform and hardware work, just as the company is hoping to launch its own Xbox mobile store. Microsoft has been quietly building a mobile Xbox store<\/a> that may launch as soon as this year. The Xbox mobile store is designed as an alternative to Apple and Google\u2019s mobile gaming store dominance, and it will rely on content from Activision Blizzard like\u00a0Call of Duty: Mobile<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Candy Crush Saga \u2014\u00a0<\/em>two hugely popular mobile games published by Activision and King, respectively.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer previously discussed the potential for the Xbox mobile store last year, referencing the\u00a0EU\u2019s Digital Markets Act<\/a> as a \u201chuge opportunity\u201d for Microsoft.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Spotify has also accused Apple of \u201cextortion\u201d with this new App Store tax<\/a>, and calls on the EU regulators to take action. The European Commission says it will\u00a0issue a response to Apple\u2019s changes<\/a>\u00a0when the regulations officially go into effect in March, and it promises \u201cstrong action\u201d if Apple\u2019s \u201cproposed solutions are not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Microsoft\u2019s reaction to Apple\u2019s latest policy changes could also spell trouble for a potential Xbox Cloud Gaming app on iOS. Apple opened the App Store to cloud gaming services<\/a> last week, at the same time that it announced its new App Store policies for EU markets. \u201cDevelopers can now submit a single app with the capability to stream all of the games offered in their catalog,\u201d Apple wrote in a blog post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Nvidia, Microsoft, and other cloud gaming providers haven\u2019t reacted to Apple\u2019s acceptance of cloud gaming services. We\u2019re still waiting to hear if Apple\u2019s changes are enough to convince these providers to publish iOS apps for their services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n