Steam Link on an iPhone (Valve/Apple)
Valve released the free Steam Link app earlier this month for iPhones, iPads and Apple TVs, allowing those who favor Apple’s machines the ability to play their collection of Steam games on them. Android users have been able to enjoy it since last year when its beta version launched.
Steam Link’s release on Apple’s platforms was considered a surprise, as the tech giant rejected Valve’s app last May citing “business conflicts with app guidelines that had allegedly not been realized by the original review team.”
It’s well-known that Apple demanded a 30 percent cut of all purchases made directly through the apps on their marketplace, although it’s currently unknown if Valve failed to account for this requirement when they first submitted the app or if they addressed it since. However, one curious difference between the Android incarnation of the app and those on Apple’s hardware is how the latter launches in a specialized version of the Big Picture mode. Apple users will only be able to see their Game Library, whereas Android users can access Steam’s basic features, such as Communities and, most importantly, the Store.
Valve’s handy app requires either a 5Ghz Wi-Fi network or wired ethernet connection, and it supports the Steam controller and controllers built for iPads and iPhones.
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