Google is bringing its Stadia cloud gaming service to iOS. However, alongside a growing number of developers, including Microsoft and Nvidia, it's circumventing the iOS App Store by offering a web app instead.

Google Stadia to Arrive on iOS Soon

In a total "not another one" moment, Google has announced via a Reddit post that it will be rolling out Google Stadia on iOS.

Google has followed in the footsteps of Nvidia and Microsoft. Nvidia has confirmed that it will be offering its GeForce NOW service via iOS Safari. Microsoft has announced the same will be true for the Xbox Game Pass.

This means that if you own an iPhone or an iPad, then you will soon be able to play Google Stadia titles on your Apple device.

However, you won't access it via a dedicated app. Instead, you will be accessing it through your mobile browser. So, in the case of iPhone and iPad users, this will be the iOS version of Safari.

Is Google Stadia Already Available on iOS?

Well, yes and no. Google Stadia can be downloaded as an app from the iOS App Store. However, you can't actually use it to play games.

Apple is well known for its stringent app restrictions. These restrictions extend to apps that allow any form of game streaming.

Apple has tried to offer some form of leeway, telling platforms that they can offer apps, but only if each game is reviewed and approved separately by Apple themselves. This could prove to be a logistical nightmare for most cloud gaming platforms.

Related: Microsoft Takes Aim at Apple With New App Store Principles

Currently, you can only really use Google Stadia on iOS as a glorified chat service. The app allows you to message other users and manage your Stadia account. You can't stream any of the titles available in the collection.

This kind of defeats the object of a game streaming platform. So, developers have had to use their nous when it comes to getting around Apple's ringfenced app marketplace.

Google Stadia Will Come to iOS, Soon

google stadia control pad

The Google Stadia service isn't available right now. It is yet to be tested, so there will be a wait before you can access Stadia on your iOS device.

More developers are heading down the iOS mobile app route to provide their cloud gaming service. So, could this mean that we are seeing Apple's control over its marketplace model slipping?

Whether Apple is going to bend to the will of developers remains to be seen. However, one thing is becoming more apparent; Apple needs to update its marketplace model if it is going to attract users from the likes of Google, Nvidia, and Microsoft in the future.