Steam Link app for iOS blocked by Apple

A press release from Valve Corporation published earlier this month announced the impending release of a couple of new apps: Steam Link and Steam Video. The Steam Link app allows users to stream games from their Steam library on a host system to a mobile platform. The press release specifically stated the compatibility of the app with Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV. However, it now seems Steam Link will not be appearing on iTunes or the Apple App Store at the moment. Valve released a statement to explain why the app hadn’t been made available to iOS users:

On Monday, May 7th, Apple approved the Steam Link app for release. On Weds, May 9th, Valve released news of the app. The following morning, Apple revoked its approval citing business conflicts with app guidelines that had allegedly not been realized by the original review team.

There has been some conjecture as to why Apple would block the Steam Link app. One idea has been that Apple could possibly be working on a similar streaming service. Another likely suggestion is that the app may have been blocked due to the tech giant protecting its revenue streams. Apple gets a cut from in-app purchases downloaded from the App Store. Normally, Steam would also take a cut of purchases made from the Steam Link app, thus creating the “business conflict.”

A spokesperson for Valve told Reuters that purchasing has been disabled in the iOS version of the Steam Link app. So now it seems Steam fans who happen to be proud iPhone owners will have to wait and see what Apple has to say about the situation.

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