In a blow to Windows Phone 7, Microsoft will soon build apps that let iOS and Android users play its wildly popular Xbox Live games, a developer familiar with Microsoft's plans confirmed today.
"Xbox is a client of ours. There's no way they'll be ignoring those other mobile platforms," the developer told Business Insider.
Microsoft's Xbox plans were first reported by LiveSide who spotted a job posting on the Microsoft careers site.
The job is for developers with iOS and Android experience. In itself, that doesn't say much, points out Neowin, as Microsoft already launched a new My Xbox LIVE app for iOS devices last month, alongside the launch of an Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone. The iOS app doesn't let you play games on your iPhone or iPad, although it does let you send messages to Live buddies, change your avatar, or track your achievements.
However, the job posting indicates that Microsoft's plans to bring Live games to iOS and Android. It says:
"As the team inside IEB (Interactive Entertainment Business) dedicated to mobile experiences, we work closely with console software team and Xbox LIVE services team to bring the latest and greatest gaming and entertainment experience to mobile platforms including Windows Phone, iOS and other mobile platforms."
On the one hand, right now the killer app for Windows Phone 7 is Xbox Live. Microsoft even advertises it as "the only phone with Xbox Live built in."
On the other, if Microsoft makes Xbox Live the exclusive domain of Windows Phone 7, it is practically handing the live gaming market on iOS and Android to rivals like Sony's PlayStation's PSN.
According to the mobile developer, Microsoft isn't about to let that happen.
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