A small update in the conflict between @steam_games and Apple: Steam now confirms that they had disabled the ability to make purchases in the iOS app. Apple still has not commented on why they rejected Steam's app.
Thanks for the update. What about their use of unauthorized APIs for the Steam controller?
I suspect that Apple rejected this because games could/would bypass the Apple App store. I hope I am incorrect on this assumption as Apple IMHO would be treading on thin ice legally with such a restriction.
Apple specifically allows this practice, but there are conditions for how it is implemented. (Which are pretty well established by now.)
It's likely more to do with ferrying your data around in an inappropriate way.
It requires no more data than the Steam Mobile app. In any case if that was true, they'd say that instead of "business conflicts". Couldn't be less ambiguous if they tried.
I suspect that Apple rejected this because games could/would bypass the Apple App store. I hope I am incorrect on this assumption as Apple IMHO would be treading on thin ice legally with such a restriction.
Apple specifically allows this practice, but there are conditions for how it is implemented. (Which are pretty well established by now.)
It's likely more to do with ferrying your data around in an inappropriate way.
It requires no more data than the Steam Mobile app. In any case if that was true, they'd say that instead of "business conflicts". Couldn't be less ambiguous if they tried.
Yep good idea. If everyone chose that solution to every Apple problem, there'd rapidly be no-one left.
Gamers are few my friend. There are plenty of games on iOS already.
Very few on aTV and I own most of them. This would have been nice.
Shit of get off the pot Apple.
It’s most likely due to 2 reasons. 1.They made a store within the app.(Apple is not liable for that)So they do not allow that. 2. They used unauthorized,Keyboard & mouse API for their controller. Officially only MFi controllers are supported.
I suspect that Apple rejected this because games could/would bypass the Apple App store. I hope I am incorrect on this assumption as Apple IMHO would be treading on thin ice legally with such a restriction.
Apple specifically allows this practice, but there are conditions for how it is implemented. (Which are pretty well established by now.)
It's likely more to do with ferrying your data around in an inappropriate way.
It requires no more data than the Steam Mobile app. In any case if that was true, they'd say that instead of "business conflicts". Couldn't be less ambiguous if they tried.
Yep good idea. If everyone chose that solution to every Apple problem, there'd rapidly be no-one left.
Gamers are few my friend. There are plenty of games on iOS already.
Very few on aTV and I own most of them. This would have been nice.
Shit of get off the pot Apple.
It’s most likely due to 2 reasons. 1.They made a store within the app.(Apple is not liable for that)So they do not allow that. 2. They used unauthorized,Keyboard & mouse API for their controller. Officially only MFi controllers are supported.
The app wouldn't matter if there were actually more decent games on aTV.
A small update in the conflict between @steam_games and Apple: Steam now confirms that they had disabled the ability to make purchases in the iOS app. Apple still has not commented on why they rejected Steam's app.
Thanks for the update. What about their use of unauthorized APIs for the Steam controller?
According to Valve Apple revoked it citing “business conflicts” with app guidelines. Not sure how an unauthorized API for a game controller would be a business conflict.
An end user can take that decision, but for an app development company things are more complicated.
If you have customers who bought games from you and now you have to tell them: "hey mister customer, I am sorry to say but you are not able to play the games you bought from us on your iDevice, maybe you should move to Android". Not a nice message to bring.
The main issue with the app approval process is not the technical requirements, but the related business restrictions, where Apple is judge and involved party. For an app development company the iOS app store is a monopoly service (the mac app store is not), with all the business risks of dealing with a monopoly.
If they don't follow Apple's rules, then this is what happens. Apple doesn't have to carry anything it doesn't like. Steam should have thought about that first.
Valve read the rules, followed the rules, had their app approved and then later it was rejected for vague "business conflicts" reasons.
This is the kind of thing that really pisses third-party developers off. Rules are applied unevenly.
"business conflicts" to me screams of anti-competitive behaviour. If true, just wait until the EU find out about it!
Joking aside, a Steam link app on appleTV with decent controller support would have been the key turning point in me replacing all of my streaming devices with Apple TVs, possibly even ditching the xbox, wiiu etc. too if it was good enough. I would even have picked up a mac mini or something to stream from if need be. I'm sure I'm not the only one either. I have 500+ games in my steam library and I'm not by any means what I would call "a gamer".
An end user can take that decision, but for an app development company things are more complicated.
If you have customers who bought games from you and now you have to tell them: "hey mister customer, I am sorry to say but you are not able to play the games you bought from us on your iDevice, maybe you should move to Android". Not a nice message to bring.
The main issue with the app approval process is not the technical requirements, but the related business restrictions, where Apple is judge and involved party. For an app development company the iOS app store is a monopoly service (the mac app store is not), with all the business risks of dealing with a monopoly.
These are computer games. Why would you play them on small devices like iPhones?
A small update in the conflict between @steam_games and Apple: Steam now confirms that they had disabled the ability to make purchases in the iOS app. Apple still has not commented on why they rejected Steam's app.
Thanks for the update. What about their use of unauthorized APIs for the Steam controller?
According to Valve Apple revoked it citing “business conflicts” with app guidelines. Not sure how an unauthorized API for a game controller would be a business conflict.
So it’s mostly , the store within store problem.So are they planning to remove the purchase options in the app?
An end user can take that decision, but for an app development company things are more complicated.
If you have customers who bought games from you and now you have to tell them: "hey mister customer, I am sorry to say but you are not able to play the games you bought from us on your iDevice, maybe you should move to Android". Not a nice message to bring.
The main issue with the app approval process is not the technical requirements, but the related business restrictions, where Apple is judge and involved party. For an app development company the iOS app store is a monopoly service (the mac app store is not), with all the business risks of dealing with a monopoly.
These are computer games. Why would you play them on small devices like iPhones?
I though the main idea was to stream them to iPads, where the screen is big enough
When the app came out, the reviews were pretty much all "this app is awesome, we can't believe Apple actually approved it!". Didn't take long for Apple to rain on that parade.
A ) I don't get the use case. Why would I play a game on my iPad instead of my Mac??
Maybe you want to play a game on your iPad so you can sit on the couch and play it while your wife watches TV. And currently you have to buy it from the App Store, but if the streaming is as good as they say, and Steam is cheaper, you might just pop in to the other room for a sec and buy it on Steam.
Well, considering that there are other iOS apps that already do the same thing (stream PC or Playstation games to your iOS device), then the implied reason behind the rejection probably isn't really accurate. There must be something else beyond "Apple won't allow PC game streaming apps".
A small update in the conflict between @steam_games and Apple: Steam now confirms that they had disabled the ability to make purchases in the iOS app. Apple still has not commented on why they rejected Steam's app.
Thanks for the update. What about their use of unauthorized APIs for the Steam controller?
According to Valve Apple revoked it citing “business conflicts” with app guidelines. Not sure how an unauthorized API for a game controller would be a business conflict.
So it’s mostly , the store within store problem.So are they planning to remove the purchase options in the app?
They did. Also if they had the store within a store why would the app have been approved in the first place?
“Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away?” - Ripley
The App allowed people to purchase games through the App that would then download to your PC. This is obviously a violation of Apples in-App purchase policies.
But go ahead and keep believing your bullshit conspiracy theories about Apple being anti-competitive.
“Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away?” - Ripley
The App allowed people to purchase games through the App that would then download to your PC. This is obviously a violation of Apples in-App purchase policies.
But go ahead and keep believing your bullshit conspiracy theories about Apple being anti-competitive.
For the record, we'll be talking about this a bit later in the day.
Comments
What about their use of unauthorized APIs for the Steam controller?
Shit of get off the pot Apple.
1.They made a store within the app.(Apple is not liable for that)So they do not allow that.
2. They used unauthorized,Keyboard & mouse API for their controller. Officially only MFi controllers are supported.
This is the kind of thing that really pisses third-party developers off. Rules are applied unevenly.
Joking aside, a Steam link app on appleTV with decent controller support would have been the key turning point in me replacing all of my streaming devices with Apple TVs, possibly even ditching the xbox, wiiu etc. too if it was good enough. I would even have picked up a mac mini or something to stream from if need be. I'm sure I'm not the only one either. I have 500+ games in my steam library and I'm not by any means what I would call "a gamer".
B ) They should be clearer on why exactly the app was rejected. The resulting shitstorm servers them right.
The App allowed people to purchase games through the App that would then download to your PC. This is obviously a violation of Apples in-App purchase policies.
But go ahead and keep believing your bullshit conspiracy theories about Apple being anti-competitive.