Google Stadia is finally heading to iOS, but as a progressive web app

Google has announced that its Stadia cloud gaming service is finally coming to iOS, and its public testing will begin rolling out in the coming weeks. However, instead of bringing a standalone app, as anticipated, the search giant has decided to bring Stadia to iOS as a web app. The new move comes more than a year after Google Stadia hit Google Play for Android devices. The service has just completed its year since the official launch that took place on November 19, 2019.

As reported by The Verge, the Stadia application will be available as a Progressive Web Application (PWA) that can be run through any web browser. Google too tweeted the first phase of iOS support is coming to Stadia. Opting for the web app route also means that it may not offer an experience in line with what has been provided to Android users thus far.

However, Google decided to use the web application months after Apple refused to allow the launch of a native Stadia application. The Cupertino company explained in August that it was not allowing services like Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud due to restrictions on the App Store for streaming games. It also removed a browser app called Stadium in October that allowed users to run Google Stadia on iOS devices.

Apple revised its App Store guidelines after facing criticism from Microsoft and other developers for its strict rules. However, the App Store still requires the submission of individual games rather than a single service to provide access to multiple games. Therefore, it forces companies like Google and Microsoft to offer their gaming services in the cloud as a web application.

In October, Microsoft showed interest in building a web version of its xCloud service for iOS users that would arrive next year. Nvidia also recently announced plans to roll out a trial version of its GeForce NOW cloud-based gaming service on Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices that would work similarly to the iOS version of xCloud and Stadia.

In addition to announcing plans to bring Stadia to iOS, Google revealed its plans to support more than 135 titles to its service by the end of the year. The company also stated that it has released more than 80 games since the launch of Stadia. It also brought more than 100 new features to enhance the gaming experience on the service that competes with Amazon’s Luna, Microsoft’s xCloud, Nvidia’s GeForce NOW, and Sony’s PlayStation Now.

Google also mentioned that there are more than 50 Stadia Pro games on board since the launch of their service. To attract new players, the company also launched a deal that runs until December 18 under which it will offer a free Stadia Premium Edition along with a Google Chromecast Ultra and a Stadia controller to pre-order Cyberpunk 2077 from CD Projekt Red for Stadia. . .

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