Apple's Phil Schiller explains why Valve's Steam Link App was rejected

[Thisman]

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/26/steam-link-rejection-phil-schiller/

We care deeply about bringing great games to all of our users on the App Store. We would love for Valve's games and services to be on iOS and AppleTV. Unfortunately, the review team found that Valve's Steam iOS app, as currently submitted, violates a number of guidelines around user generated content, in-app purchases, content codes, etc.

We've discussed these issues with Valve and will continue to work with them to help bring the Steam experience to iOS and AppleTV in a way that complies with the store's guidelines. We put great effort into creating an App Store that provides the very best experience for everyone.

We have clear guidelines that all developers must follow in order to ensure the App Store is a safe place for all users and a fair opportunity for all developers.

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Apple's MAIN concern:

"I could see a very real situation where many people just straight up stop buying things from the App Store and exclusively purchase Steam games through Valve instead," wrote TouchArcade editor-in-chief Eli Hodapp.

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Opinion: Apple wants Valve to have in-app purchases through iOS rather than in-app purchases through Steam Link app. Apple basically wants a cut of purchases made through its ecosystem. If Apple relents to Valve, it sets a precedent for all future and current services to sidestep the in-app process.

 

[Wander]

Wow

 

[Deleted member 1607]

Cupertino's*

 

[Deleted member 1041]

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/26/steam-link-rejection-phil-schiller/




Apple's MAIN concern:

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Pretty much. Download the steam app, suddenly people start buying shit on there and not on the app store.

 

[diablogg]

Wow dudes.... I've never owned an apple device, are they easy to hack and would it be possible to throw this on the phone once you mod it?

 

[Mark]

Bellevue's*

 

[Lithium Flower]

Cupertino's*

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[Caiusto]

For the children

 

[WhoaIsThatMars]

Pretty much. Download the steam app, suddenly people start buying shit on there and not on the app store.

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I don't see this happening as you're limited to playing those games on the same network as your PC. Meaning if there's a game available on both platforms, you'd have to grab the app store copy if you want to play away from your PC's network

 

[Cantaim]

I mean I don't think that people who play mobile phone games would really want to drop them completely and just play Steam Link instead. Like it's cool and all but most Steam games I play are not meant to be picked up and played at a moment's notice.

 

[Blayde]

Note that your "apples main concern" part was not stated by an apple employee.

Im sure some will gloss over and not read.

Edit: also, they typically dont allow devs to bypass paying their cut for things on the app store. Lots of apps will have you make purchases via their website OUTSIDE of the app, then have the content be available via the app so that they dont have to pay apple.. vudu does it this way. Valve should just block the ability to purchase games while using steam link on ios. Require the purchase to be made on the desktop app.

 

[MattB]

So they want a cut of anything bought on steam if it is being streamed to the phone? That seems like a new low.

 

[Knight613]

They aren't going to outright say it, but he basically implied it.

 

[Chris_Rivera]

Makes me wonder why they bothered with the iOS version, if the guidelines are so clear. Sounds like they'd have to neuter it quite a bit.

 

[KillLaCam]

That makes no sense. Why would anyone stream a phone game from steam when they could just play the native version on their phone from anywhere? But steam should have known this would have been an issue if that's what the guidlines say

 

[Serene]

I don't even think Valve could implement Apple's IAP hooks into the Steam Link app considering it is just a stream of your PC

 

[Last_colossi]

Wow dudes.... I've never owned an apple device, are they easy to hack and would it be possible to throw this on the phone once you mod it?

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If you have a Nvidia GPU you don't need to because Moonlight has existed for over a year now and does exactly the same thing which proves how stupid Apple is being with this.

 

[Killthee]

This is dumb. It's a local streaming app, not a Steam App Store for your iOS device.

 

[Deleted member 6582]

It violates our rules that say you can't compete with us in any present or future endeavor ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[rstzkpf]

I'm not really surprised. In addition to Apple losing out on revenue, the Steam community itself is basically unmoderated and a total dumpster fire.

 

[DJ_Lae]

I mean, it does result in a store within the app so it makes sense it wasn't allowed as is.

The dude speculating that everyone would stop buying apps in the event of Steam's release is really reaching, though. Remote play is neat but it's only useful in a couple of very specific circumstances. No one's going to buy mobile games through Steam and then play them over their LAN.

 

[LewieP]

I imagine "in app purchases" is the big one, but user generated content makes sense too I suppose.

Not sure to what extent Valve will want to remove features in order to comply with Apple's rules, but I hope they can work something out.

I don't think users can reasonably complain though. Everyone knows by now that iOS devices are just for doing whatever Apple wants you to do with them, and if you want to be free to run any software without the manufacturer's permission, you don't buy iOS devices.

 

[Hvabbdakur]

Cupertino's*

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Leave us out of this shit. Just because I'm half from Cupertino doesn't mean I even own an Apple.

 

[MotionRed]

That makes no sense. Why would anyone stream a phone game from steam when they could just play the native version on their phone from anywhere? But steam should have known this would have been an issue if that's what the guidlines say

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I imagine Apple doesn't want to take the risk. Plus, their store is already making them money that I doubt they care about the app.

 

[Cuboid 64]

This is sort of why you can't get books through the Kindle or Amazon app anymore, has to be through the web interface. Otherwise Apple'd get a cut on every book.

 

[Lurkyseas]

So they want a cut of anything bought on steam if it is being streamed to the phone? That seems like a new low.

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I call that being selfish & greedy.

 

[riotous]

So they want a cut of anything bought on steam if it is being streamed to the phone? That seems like a new low.

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Steam Link displays the Steam Store inside the app and let's you make purchases.

Apple doesn't allow digital stores that don't use Apple's ecosystem/gives them a cut.

Seems pretty simple; create an iOS Steam Link without the "Store" tab. Although it's a little funky for Valve since Steam Link just launches Steam in big picture and Streams anything that is visible on that PC, so they'd literally have to make a big picture mode sans Store that launched when you start via Steam Link.

 

[808s & Villainy]

Yuup. My company develops Apple apps and they're super anal about anything in your apps allowing or even promoting people buying things outside of the App Store

 

[Drain You]

As expected, hopefully apple bends.

 

[Pocky4Th3Win]

I already have a steam app on my iPhone that I can buy games on... This app just lets me play those games I bought.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/steam-mobile/id495369748?mt=8

 

[Deleted member 1003]

When in doubt, look to money. I'm not surprised and I totally understand why Apple would reject the app.

 

[Deleted member 16657]

Why doesn't the app just not have store functionality? Just make it a barebones "here's whats in your steam library" companion app?

 

[Lnds500]

It's gonna get fixed. Valve should have known this would happen, it's been standard practice for years now.

 

[Kinggroin]

It's literally just turning your iPhone into a monitor. Like the already existing "moonlight" app does. Wtf Apple.

 

[Jeff ChickenDig]

i'm confused... there are desktop streaming apps on ios right? Nothing stops me from buying something from the windows 10 store (lol).

And... store apps on ios too. Like does apple get a cut if I buy something from the amazon app or ebay app?

 

[LewieP]

I already have a steam app on my iPhone that I can buy games on... This app just lets me play those games I bought n

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Apple are fine with apps for buying stuff.

Apple are fine with apps that deliver outside content.

Apple are not fine with apps for selling you content that you then consume on the device, without using their iap api for selling that content on device. It's the combination of the two that breaks Apple's rules.

Edit: Stuff like amazon/ebay apps, or other shopping apps, do not need to give Apple a cut of sales, or use the iap api, because they do not deliver content to the device.

Screen streaming apps are fine too because they don't explicitly support purchases, just like web browsers are fine.

 

[riotous]

Why doesn't the app just not have store functionality? Just make it a barebones "here's whats in your steam library" companion app?

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It literally launches Steam in Big Picture mode on your PC and then starts streaming anything and everything on that PC.

So if you minimize Steam and watch some porn you'll see the porn on your phone, for example.

So they'd have to really change how the app works or make it so the Steam Store is removed from a special version of Big Picture Mode. It's the implementation and how simpe it is that makes this a little weird; if the phone loses contact do you re-enable the Store tab? It's just weird.

Apple are fine with apps for buying stuff.

Apple are fine with apps that deliver outside content.

Apple are not fine with apps for selling you content that you then consume on the device, without using their iap api for selling that content on device. It's the combination of the two that breaks Apple's rules.

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Which makes you wonder; if Valve does create a version of Steam Link that hid the Store... would Apple make them remove the regular Steam App that allows purcahses in order to have Steam Link sans store on iOS?

 

[Cess007]

Cupertino's*

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I'm just waiting for Huelen to come to this thread now lol

 

[Bjones]

They change thier app guidelines constantly. It's ridiculous.

 

[Sei]

Translation, no you can't play your weeb visual novels on our hardware.

 

[MattB]

Steam Link displays the Steam Store inside the app and let's you make purchases.

Apple doesn't allow digital stores that don't use Apple's ecosystem/gives them a cut.

Seems pretty simple; create an iOS Steam Link without the "Store" tab. Although it's a little funky for Valve since Steam Link just launches Steam in big picture and Streams anything that is visible on that PC, so they'd literally have to make a big picture mode sans Store that launched when you start via Steam Link.

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How is it any different than using a browser to buy something? Does Apple require a percentage of that too ? That's what I would compare it to because that stuff isn't in the app. The payment is being made on the pc not on the phone the phone is just a mirror.

 

[Duxxy3]

I don't think it's worth it for Valve to further pursue the iOS app.

 

[Tobor]

As I said in the other thread, these are not new guidelines.

Amazon tried to push back years ago, got nowhere, and ultimately complied.

If Amazon couldn't get an exception, Valve sure as hell isn't going to get one.

 

[Hamchan]

Isn't it just streaming your desktop like regular Steam Link?

And aren't there already apps that can do this on the store?

Smells like BS to me.

 

[LewieP]

Which makes you wonder; if Valve does create a version of Steam Link that hid the Store... would Apple make them remove the regular Steam App that allows purcahses in order to have Steam Link sans store on iOS?

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Yeah I imagine splitting two functions across apps would not be an acceptable solution, or the likes of Amazon and Netflix would have done this already.

 

[Pimienta]

i'm confused... there are desktop streaming apps on ios right? Nothing stops me from buying something from the windows 10 store (lol).

And... store apps on ios too. Like does apple get a cut if I buy something from the amazon app or ebay app?

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Steam is far more bigger than whatever other streaming apps do.

Amazon and Ebay don't offer in-app purchases, as in a special service within the app itself.

 

[Unicorn]

Cupertino's*

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Fuck outta here Huelen lol

 

[riotous]

How is it any different than using a browser to buy something? Does Apple require a percentage of that too ? That's what I would compare it to because that stuff isn't in the app. The payment is being made on the pc not on the phone the phone is just a mirror.

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I mean that's a loophole anyone could take advantage of; "this app is just streaming a store from a server!" It's about the UX not the tech; Apple doesn'ta allow UX's where a develoepr has content both purchasable and usable on iOS without Apple getting a cut.

 

[StarStorm]

Apple wants them to direct it to their store. Who didn't see this coming? The app is dead in the water.

 

[riotous]

i'm confused... there are desktop streaming apps on ios right? Nothing stops me from buying something from the windows 10 store (lol).

And... store apps on ios too. Like does apple get a cut if I buy something from the amazon app or ebay app?

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If Microsoft made it so their Remote Desktop Client forced the Windows Store to open when you connect from your phone, that would be a better analogy.

You guys are focusing on the fact it's streaming too much; it's the UX that matters to Apple.