OnLive's iOS Client Still Waiting for App Store Approval

[MacRumors]

Six months ago, cloud gaming company OnLive announced the release of a playable client for the iPad and the iPhone. At the time, the release of the iOS app was reported to be imminent, but it has yet to materialize.

Our sister site TouchArcade reports from E3 that OnLive is "hard at work on getting the app approved", but doesn't have any estimate for when the app will be approved, nor what the holdup is.

It's not much of a surprise that Apple might have issues with the OnLive app, as it's offering a complete platform that Apple doesn't have control over, promotes a gamepad, and provides content purchased outside of the App Store ecosystem. So, here's to keeping our fingers crossed to OnLive and Apple coming to some sort of middle ground to get the app out.

Article Link: OnLive's iOS Client Still Waiting for App Store Approval

 

[ouimetnick]

Apple is still "pondering" over it.

 

[alex.sebenski]

Apple TV app demo/example?

This would make a great Apple TV app to demo on stage at the keynote.

 

[charlieegan3]

there would be an uproar if it got rejected.

 

[Aidoneus]

They can get their app out as soon as they agree to give Apple its 30%, rather than trying to use Apple's platform without paying for it, like common thieves.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

This would make a great Apple TV app to demo on stage at the keynote.

With e3 in progress, I was thinking just that. Apple plundered Nintendo's casual market by releasing iOS devices that were more versatile and had a wider range of cheaper casual games. So Nintendo has had to quickly double back. They're trying to win back the hardcore audience that demands quality games and is willing to pay $50+ for them. Now, with Nintendo in flight, I think Apple is going to pounce.

The new TV is going to take away the emphasis of what's hooked up to your TV (game consoles, cable boxes, and other media sources,) and instead focus on what apps are installed on your TV. You won't buy game consoles or different boxes for different streaming sources, you'll just download apps straight to the TV that provide those services.

The entertainment center is going to become a lot less cluttered. All you'll need to add to the TV will be a sound system and maybe some specialized controllers for certain apps.

Thus, OnLive could fit right into this.

 

[Richdmoore]

A real Bluetooth game pad would be awesome for using with "real" iOS apps such as NOVA.....

 

[Schmitty11]

You in a hurry?

 

[charlituna]

there's some serious tin foil action going on here.

Believe it or not every delay or rejection isn't because Apple's scared of the app as competition. Sometimes they are just running behind and are trying to be fair by going through things first come first reviewed rather than ranking how important this or that company is. Sometimes they reject apps for breaking the rules, often rules that are 100% clear like don't use Private APIs etc.

 

[nagromme]

They can get their app out as soon as they agree to give Apple its 30%, rather than trying to use Apple's platform without paying for it, like common thieves.

Apple’s happy to have paid services delivered even if they do NOT use the App Store platform for IAP: people will just have to buy games and manage their accounts from Safari, as they do with Kindle. (And Netflix I think?) Not ideal for OnLive but perfectly viable, and no 30% cut to Apple if they don’t want the benefits of Apple’s IAP system. So I wonder if there are entirely other reasons for the delay.

 

[Carniphage]

OnLive = iTV

Onlive shunts games and office apps off the device and up onto a clever server. Only the pixels are streamed to the device through the internet.

Now image this exact same technology, but replace video games with television. Live previewing, recording, video on demand, channel switching all done at the server end.

Apple are nervous about OnLive because it is very close to Apple's next big step.

C.

 

[NAG]

This would make a great Apple TV app to demo on stage at the keynote.

I'd love it too but I seriously doubt it is going to happen.

 

[needfx]

is it getting too cloudy or is it just me?

 

[JHankwitz]

They can get their app out as soon as they agree to give Apple its 30%, rather than trying to use Apple's platform without paying for it, like common thieves.

This reminds me of an attorney that used to stop by a local restaurant for breakfast. He'd read their 'free' newspaper, order a glass of milk, and pull a single-serving box of cornflakes out of his pocket. He'd pour in the milk and eat his breakfast. He just couldn't understand why the restaurant owner was so upset with him.

 

[nick_elt]

Why doesnt apple buy them out? Put everything through the app store no?

 

[shurcooL]

I hope it gets approved. OnLive is awesome!

 

[JesseW6889]

Well said. I hate OnLive for what they are trying to do here.

What?! You're kidding, right?! How's this any different than what amazon does on ios with the Kindle app?

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They can get their app out as soon as they agree to give Apple its 30%, rather than trying to use Apple's platform without paying for it, like common thieves.

You and I have a very different understanding of how 'common thieves' operate.

 

[ristlin]

Onlive shunts games and office apps off the device and up onto a clever server. Only the pixels are streamed to the device through the internet.

Now image this exact same technology, but replace video games with television. Live previewing, recording, video on demand, channel switching all done at the server end.

Apple are nervous about OnLive because it is very close to Apple's next big step.

C.

I have to agree with this assessment. You don't need to build several of the biggest data farms in the country just to run Apple's current cloud technology. I suspect there's more to it and streaming technology is probably right up there.

 

[JasperJanssen]

there's some serious tin foil action going on here.

Believe it or not every delay or rejection isn't because Apple's scared of the app as competition. Sometimes they are just running behind and are trying to be fair by going through things first come first reviewed rather than ranking how important this or that company is. Sometimes they reject apps for breaking the rules, often rules that are 100% clear like don't use Private APIs etc.

Sorry, but 6 months is not a minor delay in approval. For one thing we *know* they aren't running behind, regular app approval takes under one week typically, up to at most two.

Did you *seriously* suggest that Apple is 6 months behind on approving apps for the app store?

 

[ScottishDuck]

there would be an uproar if it got rejected.

I don't think the 2 users using that crap could create an uproar.

 

[kurosov]

Well said. I hate OnLive for what they are trying to do here.

The only problem here was that onlive acted as though they had already worked with apple before they announced the app then when it got rejected for not conforming to the rules they went totally silent. Onlive currently probably can't afford the 30% cut because they still have all their own operating costs for the store etc even on apples system so removing the ability to buy games via the iOS client is the ONLY way to go for them.

The no in app purchase issue is easy to deal with by not allowing game sales in the iOS app like many other companies. I suspect the issue here will be with the controller support as the "allowed" bluetooth services do not allow for such things and require companies to botch together controller support via keyboard emulation...If this is the case then the problem is with apple. Enabling the onlive controller (and other 3rd party devices) would be a huge boon to apple in the gaming sector and would help decimate the competition.

The onlive app would be virtually useless without the controller support and currently i see onlive as the one and only advantage android has over apple.

I don't think the 2 users using that crap could create an uproar.

I'm guessing you're one of those people calling it crap without ever actually trying the service? Onlive have a great platform and both apple & onlive would benefit greatly for having the service on the iPad.

 

[mazz0]

I agree with all the “love onlive, hope it's released soon” comments, but I suspect this delay is caused by OnLive breaking one of Apple's rules (such as the in app purchases or Bluetooth controller) which they must know they've done.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Sorry, but 6 months is not a minor delay in approval. For one thing we *know* they aren't running behind, regular app approval takes under one week typically, up to at most two.

Did you *seriously* suggest that Apple is 6 months behind on approving apps for the app store?

This may be the truth with most apps, but my app was "In Review" through all of May for the Mac App Store, and then rejected last week for not being sandboxed. Keep in mind that the rule about sandboxing didn't go into effect until June 1st, about four weeks after I submitted my app.

Whether we like it or not, Apple is running the show and developers only have so much freedom. Apple is free to sit on an app for extended periods before explaining that it's rejected because they came up with a new rule after you submitted your app. (Granted, they gave me what, nine months to prepare? I've only just today finished sandboxing my app.)

 

[klamse25]

Cloud gaming is way too unrefined. Unless you have a super fast internet connection, (most don't) then it'll lag like hell.

 

[Stella]

Its obviously Apple's fault here. They could make the decision in a day, barring no other hang ups.