Valve's Steam Coming to Apple iOS and Android?

[hoofhearted]

Steam on Android ... sweetness ... AT&T contract is up at end of August ... new waters are looking nicer

 

[Yoder54]

[citation][nom]Champski[/nom]See what I don't understand is how Apple are allowed to deny companies such as Valve the right to develop and distribute anything they want for the iOS. I can recall Microsoft having their pants sued off in the EU for not giving people a choice of browser and media player out of the box despite you can install whatever 3rd app you like within windows. Apple don't even allow that much. Just seems like a ridiculous double standard to me.But I'm sure that there is some loophole that the snake that is Steve Jobs uses to get away with it. Anyone know why?[/citation]

Because Windows bundled the browser which is necessary for interfacing with the web into their OS. Consequently, they kept the likes of Opera out of the system. The point of the EU was that consumers should have a choice of what browser they want to use and not be obligated by the OS to use a specific browser. The fact that Apple has a strangle hold on the sales of all apps that are sold at their stores gives them the right to choose what they think is appropriate or what can be sold. I don't think Apple needs to worry about it's browser Safari suffering from the same fate as IE since it sucks so bad to begin with. I have some Mac's as well as PC's and just abhor Safari.

Also, MS has/had a history of trying to drive any competitors into extinction. It also helps that Apple is a closed system (EUSA) in many ways and the selling of games falls into a different category than the browser wars. Most business PC game bundled with Windows, and yet MS took that advantage to promote exclusively their browser by embedding it into the OS, and certain components of the OS needed IE. This put the other browsers at a great disadvantage, though I think many who know much about computers bail on IE since Opera, Chrome, and Firefox are far superior, but the common consumer knew no better. Consequently, the EU wanted to level the playing field.

 

[megamanx00]

I doubt apple would allow their iOS users to pay for apps through steam rather than the app store.

 

[rohitbaran]

If they try to go on iOS, Apple will surely take measures to keep them out. Like filing some stupid lawsuit or patching the iOS to prevent steam platform from working.

 

[jasonh8806]

[citation][nom]Champski[/nom]See what I don't understand is how Apple are allowed to deny companies such as Valve the right to develop and distribute anything they want for the iOS. I can recall Microsoft having their pants sued off in the EU for not giving people a choice of browser and media player out of the box despite you can install whatever 3rd app you like within windows. Apple don't even allow that much. Just seems like a ridiculous double standard to me.But I'm sure that there is some loophole that the snake that is Steve Jobs uses to get away with it. Anyone know why?[/citation]

Seriously? pointless comment, get over it. If you don't like iOS or Steve Jobs don't use the iPhone or any Apple products. Otherwise shutup and talk about things you actually use...

 

[gm0n3y]

I'd much rather have Steam for Linux.

 

[Vampyrbyte]

[citation][nom]jasonh8806[/nom]Seriously? pointless comment, get over it. If you don't like iOS or Steve Jobs don't use the iPhone or any Apple products. Otherwise shutup and talk about things you actually use...[/citation]

I think his point was that Apple get away with the same practices, if simply by restricting, and bundling, the web browser and operating system. Something that the European Union deemed illegal when they fined Microsoft 900 million euroes for abusing their dominant market position to push products (Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer) onto its users.
Apple use the same dominant position, to an even more detrimental effect to the user, with its iOS platform by forcing users and developers through a single channel for distribution and purchase of applications and restricting the types of applications that can be distributed so as that they do not compete with Apple's own that are provided with the Operating System.

Saying we could just go and use something else is a flat out stupid point of view. Like saying you can avoid having your car stolen by simply not owning one.

 

[ben BOys]

Youtube feature??? about time :') i can final upload videos without using crappy fraps

 

[11796pcs]

Vampyrbyte

Amen- for once an intelligent, unbiased, unfanboyish comment that resolves the conflict.

 

[maestintaolius]

[citation][nom]Horhe[/nom]I don't understand why people like Steam so much. You get less for more. Same prices as boxed retail, but you don't get all the cool stuff like a physical media, printed manual and other features.[/citation]
I don't want physical media or manuals (a digital manual is just fine), nor do I care about plastic 'collectors' item gimmicks, it's just garbage that eventually gets thrown in my junk drawer in my pc desk. The digital bonus features that you get from gamestop or bb are meaningless because steam usually has a digital bonus feature as well for its preorders.

I like steam because I can wait for a few months to a year after a game comes out and pick it up at 25, 33, 50, 75 or even 90% off. I haven't paid full/retail price for a game for years thanks to steam. I guess if you're someone who has to immediately have the newest and greatest game the second it comes out, then yeah, you won't be seeing any deals. But, if you're patient like me, you can just wait and pick it up at half off or less (besides, I have more than enough games in my steam list to keep me occupied until then).

I also never have to worry about damaged media, a missing cdkey (I can't install D2:LoD for exactly that reason and I refuse to buy D2 warchest at the price blizzard wants). There's also access to a lot of games you can't get a brick and mortar such as older games and indie games.

 

[eddieroolz]

Not sure why Valve would want to expand there - it would just be another app running in the background. Besides, the app stores of both sides provides an easy way to buy games anyway.

 

[captaincharisma]

[citation][nom]Crazy Hitchhiker[/nom]If they are looking into running on Android, hopefully this could be a positive step towards Steam on Linux[/citation]

yea so valve can get the last 2% of computer gamers they don't have

 

[stevelord]

Video recorder? You mean we don't already have enough stupid gaming videos with some random heavy metal music thrown in the background?

 

[scotv453]

I don't know if someone answered this, but for people saying this is gimmicky need to understand steam has, and what the android/ios gaming market does not have.

Gaming these days has become a social ground for liked minded people. And steam can help by keeping you connected to your friends. I see this as an "xbox live/psn network" type thing where you can stay in contact with your friends while you play.

I can also see great things coming from this. There are some good games on android. But nothing jaw dropping. And this can bring in that experience that the consoles/pc games are already experiencing. Not many top companies are making games for these devices. And it is understandable. But something like this would make these big companies look into making fantastic products on these devices.

All they are doing is opening a door for an even better gaming success on a mobile device, and nothing is wrong with that.

 

[scotv453]

[citation][nom]scotv453[/nom]I don't know if someone answered this, but for people saying this is gimmicky need to understand steam has, and what the android/ios gaming market does not have.Gaming these days has become a social ground for liked minded people. And steam can help by keeping you connected to your friends. I see this as an "xbox live/psn network" type thing where you can stay in contact with your friends while you play.I can also see great things coming from this. There are some good games on android. But nothing jaw dropping. And this can bring in that experience that the consoles/pc games are already experiencing. Not many top companies are making games for these devices. And it is understandable. But something like this would make these big companies look into making fantastic products on these devices. All they are doing is opening a door for an even better gaming success on a mobile device, and nothing is wrong with that.[/citation]
[citation][nom]scotv453[/nom]I don't know if someone answered this, but for people saying this is gimmicky need to understand steam has, and what the android/ios gaming market does not have.Gaming these days has become a social ground for liked minded people. And steam can help by keeping you connected to your friends. I see this as an "xbox live/psn network" type thing where you can stay in contact with your friends while you play.I can also see great things coming from this. There are some good games on android. But nothing jaw dropping. And this can bring in that experience that the consoles/pc games are already experiencing. Not many top companies are making games for these devices. And it is understandable. But something like this would make these big companies look into making fantastic products on these devices. All they are doing is opening a door for an even better gaming success on a mobile device, and nothing is wrong with that.[/citation]

I apologize if someone else already said this. I didn't read all the comments.

 

[Guest]

[citation][nom]Crazy Hitchhiker[/nom]yea so valve can get the last 2% of computer gamers they don't have[/citation]

Just don't tell that to your system administrator. 3 things will develop:
1. He'll hate your for it
2. He will ignore anything until Valve does make Steam for Linux
3. He will ignore all your calls for help, due to either 1., 2., or both

 

[mayankleoboy1]

we could do with some quality content distribution in the ios platform