Google Stadia is now officially available on iPhones and iPads. Like other providers, Google has switched to the browser in order to bypass Apple’s strict guidelines for the distribution of cloud gaming services in the App Store. Players can now access Google Stadia via the Apple Safari browser and add the web app to the homescreen.

Stadia with two apps on iPhones and iPads The existing Stadia app offered in the App Store is still available; it is limited to account management and enables a new Stadia controller, for example set up and add games to the library. The icons of the web app and native app have a “minimally different design”, explains Google and apparently hopes that this does not confuse users further.

Google Stadia in iOS 14. 3 (5 pictures) Stadia also includes games like cyberpunk 2077 on iPhone and iPad.

Stadia for iOS is a pre-release version of Google, the service is still “in development”, explains Google, some functions are therefore not available or may not work properly. A quick test of Mac & i showed frequent crashes. The provider lists typical problems and possible solutions in a support document. The requirement for Stadia is iOS or iPadOS from the recently released version iOS 14 .3.

On iOS, in addition to the Stadia Controller, Stadia also supports game controllers that use Bluetooth connected to the device, including the PS4 controller and Xbox wireless controller. Wired controllers are “currently not officially supported by Stadia on iOS,” says Google. Alternatively, games can also be controlled via a touch gamepad.

Apple against Cloud Gaming So far, no major provider of a cloud gaming service is represented in Apple’s App Store: Nvidia’s GeForce Now can be played as a web app, the same applies to Amazon Luna and, in the future, Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Apple only wants to allow such services in the App Store if each of the games included in the streaming offer is presented for testing as an individual app, and Apple’s payment interface must be used for in-app purchases.

(lbe)