Valve's Steam Link app for the iOS has been rejected by Apple, which it claims to be due to "business conflicts."
Valve Appeals The Decision, Apple Denies It Again
Apple previously approved the Steam Link app on May 7. Valve then announced the release on May 9, but the smartphone maker revoked its approval the next day.
According to the statement shared on Steam Database's Twitter account, the reason was conflicts with the app guidelines that the original review team had missed.
"Valve appealed, explaining the Steam Link app simply functions as a LAN-based remote desktop similar to numerous desktop applications already available on the App Store," the statement reads.
Apple denied the appeal as well, leaving the Steam Link app unreleased for iOS users.
"The team here spent money and many hours on this project and the approval process, and we're clearly disappointed," he added.
The desktop applications that Valve was pertaining to include LogMeIn, GoToMyPC, and the Microsoft Remote Desktop, among other apps. The Steam Link app, however, is more similar to the apps using the Nvidia GameStream technology to play PC titles remotely on the device, which are well and live on the iOS App Store.
What 'Business Conflicts' Are Apple Referring To?
The app would have allowed iOS and Apple TV users to stream the games from the players' Steam library to their devices. It does not offer direct purchases from the app, but it is still possible to buy titles for the PC through the app.
As the App Store is highly regulated, this might be where the deal went sour. Apple takes a percentage of sales from the apps, sometimes resulting in disabling the in-app purchases functionality if the app is not in line with the company's business guidelines.
Games are also estimated to comprise 49 percent of Apple's revenue through the App Store in 2017. Some fans have speculated that the Cupertino company might see the Steam Link app as a direct competition of its iOS games while not providing any revenue. Others have defended that the games available on the platform are not the same as those on Steam.
Still, Valve hopes for Apple to reconsider its decision. The Steam Link app has been available on Android since May 17, and users are liking the experience so far. Too bad that iOS users might not experience it at all if Apple stands by its decision.
