Apple revises IOS App Store rules after rejecting Steam Link app allowing Steam Link to be re-submitted with no Business Conflict

[AlTech]

Apple has revised their IOS App Store rules after rejecting Valve's SteamLink app. The revised rules allows apps which mirror games from an App Store on a PC to an IOS device to be exempt.

 

Previously any app couldn't mirror games or apps from a different App Store than the IOS App Store.

 

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Apple quietly updated its App Store guidelines on Monday, while the keynote address of WWDC was happening in San Jose, to allow for mobile apps like Valve’s Steam Link game streaming service, according to Reuters. Steam owner Valve said last week Apple had initially rejected Steam Link, which lets consumers access and stream their PC game library onto a mobile device, due to apparent “business” conflicts.

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The change does not void Apple’s long-standing policy that no iOS app may host an app store of its own and allow users to purchase and download software not approved through its own marketplace.

 

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The new rule does, however, allow for what are known as remote mirroring apps, like Steam Link, to contain an app store so long as purchases through that app store are processed on the desktop PC, and not on the iPhone or iPad itself. 

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There’s no word yet on the availability of Steam Link in the App Store — presumably, Valve must resubmit it — though the app is already in open beta on Android.

 

So yeah, it would appear that "Business Conflict" was very much the problem here since Apple has a 0 tolerance for apps hosting their own app stores on IOS devices. Cos how else are they gonna get the 30% sales cut.

 

Anyhow, the new exemption allows any type or mirroring app in the app store so long as it mirrors content purchased on PCs which in theory means that if Valve tries to re-submit Steam Link to the IOS App Store, it should go through this time.

 

Which I guess is cool .

 

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/5/17430532/apple-app-store-rules-valve-steam-link-game-streaming

[Dargenfire]

Oops I just submitted this topic myself, let me go delete it.

 

On an aside note: Aside from Apple liking money, those guidelines were also originally put in place to guard against third-party app stores like Cydia making their way onto the legit App Store.

 

EDIT - Mods beat me to my own post lol. Sorry about that @Morgan MLGman

[8uhbbhu8]

Good. I'm glad that they decided to do this as there's not really any reason they shouldn't 

[Humbug]

Cool.

 

I guess the argument that was able to get through is that this isn't full fledged steam on IOS. It cannot work on it's own, and it cannot directly connect to the Internet. It has to be tethered via the local Wi-Fi to a PC running steam. By PC I mean windows/Linux/OSX. Steam is not selling IOS games, they are just selling PC games which have to be bought and run on pc but can be streamed to an IOS device.

[Sniperfox47]

50 minutes ago, Humbug said:

and it cannot directly connect to the Internet. It has to be tethered via the local Wi-Fi to a PC running steam.

Steam In-home streaming works over the internet if you VPN into your home network

[Humbug]

4 minutes ago, Sniperfox47 said:

Steam In-home streaming works over the internet if you VPN into your home network

Yep, but you are still just connecting to a PC with steam running on it.

If you want to avoid that you have to ban VPNs.

[ARikozuM]

14 hours ago, Humbug said:

Yep, but you are still just connecting to a PC with steam running on it.

If you want to avoid that you have to ban VPNs.

Don't give Apple ideas. 

[Godlygamer23]

16 hours ago, Dargenfire said:

Oops I just submitted this topic myself, let me go delete it.

Just an FYI that you cannot remove your own content. It must be dealt with by a moderator or someone higher.