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Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

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Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#201

Post by braythwayt »

int_19h wrote: post #97
dnomad wrote: post #55

People who go on and on about the Google and Amazon "monopolies" -- which only benefit consumers with low prices and expansive services -- this is what actual monopolistic behavior looks like. Apple controls access to a significant share of the mobile application industry and it directly abuses that market power to harm customers by reducing competition and artificially raising prices. Apple is being sued in both US…

An example of monopolistic Google behavior was when they refused to make a YouTube app for any Windows platform (Win8, and later Win10) - which is fine - but then they also blocked the app that Microsoft itself has developed. Because they control access to YouTube as a service, they could do that. And because YouTube is the place for videos on the Net, it hurt the platform pretty bad.

I detest all of the apps Google makes for iOS because they are very careful not to implement any of the features that differentiate the way an iOS app works than an app on any other platform.

For example, none of the Google apps I have on my iPad support split-screen.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#202

Post by gcthomas »

bhnmmhmd wrote: post #195
zeveb wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Given that Apple - as a private company - is the owner of iOS, no one can blame them for what they wish to include/exclude from their ecosystem. Apple may own their property, but iOS-device owners own their devices, and Apple have no right to prevent them from running the software they wish to run on the devices they own.

I refer you to read Apple's Software License Agreements carefully. They're here: https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/ Specifically it states: " The software (including Boot ROM code, embedded software and third party software), documentation, interfaces, content, fonts and any data that came with your iOS Device (“Original iOS Software”), as may be updated or replaced by feature enhancements, software updates or system r…

Of course, it all may well depend on whether such terms are reasonable and legal. There are plenty of consumer protection laws that nullify all sorts of 'agreed' terms.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#203

Post by jakelazaroff »

zeveb wrote: post #187
bhnmmhmd wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given that Apple - as a private company - is the owner of iOS, no one can blame them for what they wish to include/exclude from their ecosystem. A mistake many people make these days is they think just because some services are so prevalent and worldwide, they ought to be under control of the law and government. The same thing happens when people complain about Google/Amazon/Facebook for their policies. They're priva…

> Given that Apple - as a private company - is the owner of iOS, no one can blame them for what they wish to include/exclude from their ecosystem. Apple may own their property, but iOS-device owners own their devices, and Apple have no right to prevent them from running the software they wish to run on the devices they own.

Sure, but the argument there is that Apple should allow iOS to run binaries signed by entities other than themselves (or not signed at all).

The App Store is a service owned, operated and paid for by Apple, so they should certainly get to decide what they allow on it.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#204

Post by cblades »

ballenf wrote: post #192
ensignavenger wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can buy a Nest Thermostat from any of thousands of websites and it would work just fine in my home. I can't even get a Steam Link app for free from anyone and have it work effortlessly on my iOS device. These two are not the same, no matter which side you are on.

But if you've paid for Amazon Prime then Amazon has become a platform similar your iPhone. Just like you can buy a cheap secondary phone for Steam Link, you can join another company's "free shipping membership program" to buy your Nest (or just pay shipping or get it locally, like you said). Regardless, I think the distinction is less clear than you make out.

Is that a serious suggestion to buy a second phone, or is it supposed to be absurd?

How does having prime lock you into Amazon, at all? You're not disallowed to shop elsewhere after signing up for Prime. You don't even have to sign up for someone else's "free shipping membership program" to buy your Nest.

You're argument doesn't work for me.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#205

Post by matwood »

daemin wrote: post #168
signal11 wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If anyone at Apple is reading this, this creates ridiculously bad UX for iOS users. Search for a book on Google. Click on an Amazon Kindle Search result. The Amazon iOS App launches and tries to find the book, realizes it's a Kindle result, launches Safari to show the result. So the was trasitioned from Safari -> Amazon -> Safari pretty much because of petty politics from Apple. And all for what? A happy Kindle user…

So basically all that Valve has to do is to redirect everyone that wants to make a purchase through Safari to the Steam web based store. Then it would be doing all of the selling on the web like a normal store, but content consumption could be done anywhere.

Except Valve cannot put the link to their website in their iOS app. Users just have to know to go the Valve web store.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#206

Post by dkersten »

zkomp wrote: post #82
yvdriess wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plenty of overlap. Ipad stream-gaming on the couch while the wife watches TV, for example.

Yes yes and yes. So now it is totally possible, you just must avoid iPads (face palm) Essentialy Apple want force me buy some android tablet, smart move...

As someone who loves his iPad, this makes me sad. It’s not enough for me to abandon it but it’ll definitely make the upgrade decision tougher when the time comes.

Does iPad even support Xbox1/PS4/steam controllers? Last time I checked, at least PS4 gamepads did not work on ios. Without those (certainly Xbox and PS4 ones), I’m not sure I’d want to stream games onto an iPad anyway (not that this makes it better, if anything it makes it worse).

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#207

Post by cblades »

emodendroket wrote: post #194
013a wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can install android apps or chrome extensions from any source, not just the Google-managed store. This sounds minor, but its absolutely a major reason why the stores aren't monopolies. I find it startling how few people on HN remember the fact that stores have a right to decide what they want to sell and not. We don't live in communist Russia. Walmart doesn't have to sell Whole Foods-branded food, H&M doesn't hav…

If you're willing not only to download sideload apps but also to modify your device so you can have root access, then it works. So not really different from Apple.

This is absolutely not the case. I can install any app-store app I'd like, and it can install apps on my phone. I can even download raw apk file and install them myself.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#208

Post by kabdib »

rafadc wrote: post #3
LUmBULtERA wrote: post #2

They've just made a huge mistake. Upset the hardcore gamers market to stop essentially a remote desktop app?

I guess the problem is the store. The app allows to access valve's store (which is far cheaper than games in the apple store). If they remove the ability to buy games I am sure the remote desktop app would be ok. I am guessing anyway

The ability to buy games was removed from the Steam Link app.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#209

Post by diffeomorphism »

bhnmmhmd wrote: post #183
ensignavenger wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can buy a Nest Thermostat from any of thousands of websites and it would work just fine in my home. I can't even get a Steam Link app for free from anyone and have it work effortlessly on my iOS device. These two are not the same, no matter which side you are on.

Given that Apple - as a private company - is the owner of iOS, no one can blame them for what they wish to include/exclude from their ecosystem. A mistake many people make these days is they think just because some services are so prevalent and worldwide, they ought to be under control of the law and government. The same thing happens when people complain about Google/Amazon/Facebook for their policies. They're priva…

Given a company has a dominant market position the point of anti-trust and monopoly is that everybody should blame them if they abuse that position.

> If you don't like them, fine, quit using their services

Which, again, for companies with a dominant market position is an entirely unreasonable proposition. Hence, laws.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#210

Post by hbosch »

ballenf wrote: post #192
ensignavenger wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can buy a Nest Thermostat from any of thousands of websites and it would work just fine in my home. I can't even get a Steam Link app for free from anyone and have it work effortlessly on my iOS device. These two are not the same, no matter which side you are on.

But if you've paid for Amazon Prime then Amazon has become a platform similar your iPhone. Just like you can buy a cheap secondary phone for Steam Link, you can join another company's "free shipping membership program" to buy your Nest (or just pay shipping or get it locally, like you said). Regardless, I think the distinction is less clear than you make out.

Amazon Prime doesn’t lock people in. That’s like saying a Costco membership stops people from shopping at other stores.
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