Relax those fists and wiggle your fingers. If you weren’t elite enough to get into the Steam Mobile [Free] beta and are experience some, er, anger issues over the whole deal, you don’t have to anxiously ball up your hands anymore. The beta process has ended almost as suddenly as it began. The app is now available for all as a free download.
We’ve given Steam Mobile another look, and aren’t noticing any features that weren’t listed as initially beta features. Text-based chat with friends, profile and group stuff, as well as game shopping and asset viewing are all included in the package. And yeah, we also bought a game from a toilet. If this isn’t the future, then what is it?
With all of the sales Steam has, I've been waiting for this app for a long time.
Not trying to be a jerk but how the hell does steam skirt paying apple for purchases made through this app?? The stopped Onlice from releasing due to this but steam can sell games through it???
Good point. I think (only an thought, take nothing I say as solid) that they've either upped the price a bit to cover for the money taken by apple if they're letting users pay though credit with apple, or you use the steam wallet to pay. If this is the case, I'm guessing apple must have made a deal with apple to let it through.
My guess is the fact that you aren't buying content on the device, you are buying a good outside of your device.
Just like you can buy physical items from the Amazon app using your amazon account. Apps like Netflix and Kindle let you pay to get content on your device, so they have to follow the rules and either use Apple's payment method or get rid of "buy" buttons.
Ebay app lets you buy goods as well.
Was surprised how short the 'beta' was - seems like it was more of a soft rollout.
I'm really hoping they add inventories / trading to the app.
I wonder if Valve would implement some kind of Steam API for apps. It would allow for apps to post achievements and do matchmaking for multiplayer (Which could be cross platform, depending on the game.) Login could be automatic and work like the Facebook app (with a URL for other apps to open to authenticate.)
Not sure if Apple would really like a new, high profile Game Center competitor, and not sure that Valve would have enough reason to do it as they wouldn't be able to make money from apps. But I guess they would gain mindshare and users that might transfer back to using it on the Mac/PC.
Not impressed right now. Slow and buggy on a 4S. The Steam Server is way faster, so it can't be overload.
It's still in "beta" but open to all users to report bugs and submit suggestions.