Microsoft mandates that iPhone Xbox Live apps stay free
by Christopher Grant 
{ Aug 19th 2008 at 4:29PM }
In this case, Microsoft evidently has no problem with the applications themselves, just with developers charging cash money for them, so it's really looking out for you here. If you've held off on trying one out, we've included links to the three we could find (one isn't free yet, but we expect it will be shortly). Take 'em for a spin around the 'net and report your findings back here.
Source – 1337pwn XBOX Live Friends List AppStore Application is now FREE
iTunes – 1337pwn (now free)
iTunes – iLive (still $1.99)
iTunes – Xbox LIVE Friends (formerly iXboxLive; now free)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
samfish @ Aug 19th 2008 4:32PM
BoroConcilman's avatar is quite awesome.
SpekOpz @ Aug 19th 2008 4:33PM
Go MS!!
temple2000 @ Aug 19th 2008 4:36PM
Anyone try any of these and can offer a recommendation?
Marty @ Aug 19th 2008 4:37PM
I may be a certified achievement points whore, but I can't see myself ever having to check my friends' accounts while on the road.
Duke @ Aug 19th 2008 4:39PM
Especially just to see if they are online...when I'm not. They seem totally useless to me.
Dirty @ Aug 19th 2008 5:00PM
I only want to know when the chicks Im stalking on live are online.
Jonah Falcon @ Aug 19th 2008 5:04PM
Um, if you have web access on the iPhone, you can message your friends if you see them online by going to Xbox.com and sending a message from there.
philmcphail @ Aug 19th 2008 5:11PM
@ Duke
Yeah, this function is basically useless. I mean wouldn't rather know if your friends are on if your nearby your 360 or just when your on it in the first place? But whatever, its free!
Duke @ Aug 19th 2008 5:28PM
Oh, that was sarcasm. I see.
Its useless to me. I don't need my cell phone app to tell me someone is online. If I'm going to play the 360 I'll be starting it anyway. Your sarcasm wasn't needed.
Obie @ Aug 19th 2008 4:42PM
How about they make live free instead, eh?
AoE @ Aug 19th 2008 5:00PM
Go play on the PS3's online service for a week or two; after that I suspect you won't complain about $50 a year again. I mean c'mon dude, that's less than the price of a probably shitty game!
Jonah Falcon @ Aug 19th 2008 5:04PM
$4 per month = too expensive for someone who bought a $200-$450 console?
Hala Madrid!! (Madrileno hasta la muerte!) @ Aug 19th 2008 5:42PM
@AoE
Amen to that.
@Jonah Falcon
You pay for the service every year. Its not like MS is charging you $4 every month plus if you can afford a $200-$450 console then you can also buy $50 gold membership.
people are so cheap these days.
Levi @ Aug 19th 2008 7:35PM
@Hala Madrid!!
$50 distributed over 12 months is roughly $4 a month. I think you and Jonah are in agreement.
j.howlett @ Aug 19th 2008 4:43PM
ain't that something. maybe soon their generosity will spread. fingers crossed but i wouldn't hold my breath.
eugene @ Aug 19th 2008 4:47PM
It's a rare fine day when corporate greed and consumer interests coincide.
syrik zero @ Aug 19th 2008 4:49PM
I'm adding all those people to my account!
Hah hah!
jk...
Fernando Rocker @ Aug 19th 2008 4:52PM
Very nice Microsoft.
Corbo @ Aug 19th 2008 4:56PM
If I were a cynical man, I'd say this had less to do with generosity and corporate policy and more to do with the fact that, if it was sold for cash, Apple would get a cut of the money.
Fortunately, I live on a fluffy cloud in the Land of Unicorns and Fairies, so I'm really glad that Micorsoft is looking out for the little man!
Corbo @ Aug 19th 2008 5:00PM
And if I were a proof-reading man, that would have read "Microsoft".
AoE @ Aug 19th 2008 5:06PM
@Corbo,
Apparently you do live in fluffly cloud-land. You... um... you do know that MS OWNS a part of Apple, right? And... you realize that MS actually releases and sells software for Mac OSX, right?
No I assure you it's not to keep the minuscule amount of money these apps would generate out of Apples hands. You've got a distorted view of the world if you think any of these apps would generate large enough profits for anyone to actually give a damn beside the developer.
But... keep going with those conspiracy theories, one day one of them will be in the ballpark!
WhoMe @ Aug 19th 2008 5:17PM
This has NOTHING to do with MS being "nice".
There is no doubt in my mind that this is 110% a business decision (as always).
My 8ball is a little murky at the moment as to what their intent is (if they have anything concrete planned at all for mobile platforms), but then having other people make money off of your infrastructure without compensation is always a bad deal.
If you somehow believe this is MS "sticking up for it's customers", you are dead wrong.
Corbo @ Aug 19th 2008 6:24PM
Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm just joking. I'm not really a conspiracy nut - the hat is just a convenient and stylish way for me move tinfoil around.
ill trooper @ Aug 20th 2008 12:29AM
Aoe
Microsoft sold their shares of Apple about a decade ago. MS no longer owns any part of Apple.
Jakka - The Heavy wants his sandwich back! @ Aug 19th 2008 4:59PM
Testing new comment system!
12345678
Is this thing on?
Jonah Falcon @ Aug 19th 2008 5:05PM
No, sorry. Can't hear you.
Phillip @ Aug 19th 2008 5:13PM
It's new?
rTwelve [xbl:chilblane] @ Aug 19th 2008 4:59PM
Most excellent! [download]
Gavin @ Aug 19th 2008 5:04PM
I agree with MS that an app such as this SHOULD be free.
ScottG13 @ Aug 19th 2008 5:14PM
Good for MSFT. Open access is generally not their motto.
philmcphail @ Aug 19th 2008 5:18PM
lol does this new comment system come with a secret edit button somewhere?
Fernando Rocker @ Aug 19th 2008 5:19PM
Testing new system...
Aparently the new system doesn't save my email and I have to write it everytime.
Fernando Rocker @ Aug 19th 2008 5:21PM
Yeah, is a problem. Joystiq, fix that please. This new system doesnt remember my email and I have to write it everytime I want to post.
danny. @ Aug 19th 2008 5:24PM
Well, I guess it's time to start making angry calls about that $0.99 I spent. (kidding)
DiddlyKong @ Aug 19th 2008 5:35PM
Yea should be free.
this is a test
GoonieGooGoo @ Aug 19th 2008 5:50PM
Isn't in interesting how the faces of the 2 rivals have changed....with APPLE now the evil controlling ITunes trickling out improvements to their products and protecting their profit margins and image to the stylistos, and Microsoft being the innovative, do what you want 3rd party supporter, catering to its customers.
Mr Awesomer @ Aug 19th 2008 6:02PM
MS hasn't changed, Apple just became more like them. Yet, at the same time, they are both pumping out products I enjoy.
ill trooper @ Aug 20th 2008 12:29AM
No
Mr Awesomer @ Aug 19th 2008 6:07PM
MS announces $4.99 iPhone app in 3... 2... 1...
fyreblazer @ Aug 19th 2008 6:22PM
So while we Windows Mobile users still wait for XBL Anywhere for, I don't know, 2.5 years, iPhone users get the app in a fraction of the time. Way to believe in your mobile os guys.
Reilly @ Aug 19th 2008 7:23PM
It's absurd to cheer MS for doing this. Think about it - would your life be better (in the long run obviously) if games/consoles/peripherals were mandated to be given away at no cost?
Thomas Aylesworth @ Aug 19th 2008 8:20PM
It's not at all "absurd" for Microsoft to be doing this. You can already get access to this information for free from the web thanks to Microsoft providing it free. Since they aren't making any money on it, why should the so called "developers" who are simply wrapping Microsoft's information in an iPhone app.
I'm all for developers making money for developing apps that let me do something I couldn't already do, or do it better than I could before. These apps don't do either. They are just ways for shucksters with a bare minimum of programming skills to make a quick buck off the current popularity of the iPhone App Store. Why should they make money off information Microsoft is giving away for free, when they add *zero* value to that information?
Thanks, Microsoft, for keeping these bastards honest.
tidefan94 @ Aug 19th 2008 9:12PM
Is it just me or do you feel bad downloading these apps for free. I can't think of any other way these guys would make money, which would mean that they are giving people a free service, when it wasn't meant to be.
ShockWaveEX @ Aug 19th 2008 9:25PM
Microsoft is a little late to the party. Afterall I think most people who have a iPhone/iPod Touch and wanted the apps already bought the app (like me). Either way 1337pwn is the best XBL app.
Gareth @ Aug 20th 2008 5:14AM
iLive is free aswell now if not already then very soon.
Christopher Grant @ Aug 20th 2008 7:45AM
testtesttest
Teh Lup @ Aug 20th 2008 8:38AM
Now WinMo users need an XBL app.
Slack ass MS.
Ben Wallis @ Aug 20th 2008 8:53AM
It's ridiculous that Microsoft only allowed 50 developers to join their "Xbox Community Developer" program. And that was years ago.
I'm sure if they opened it up, we would start seeing loads of really interesting, useful Xbox Live Web 2.0 mash-ups.
Typical M$.