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Standalone Steam Chat app hits Android/iOS, Steam Mobile app getting significant account security upgrades

Deleted member 42

user requested account closure
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Oct 24, 2017
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Announcement here:

https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1621770561065348220

App links here:

iOS: get the app on the Apple App Store
Android: get the app on Google Play

Looks like a generally standard chat app so far, with some good boosts like invite links for adding friends on Steam through text and group chats

The big thing for me is the What's Next part from Valve's announcement blog:

What's next?
We're already working on improvements to the Steam Chat app, including voice chat. With Steam Chat moving to its own dedicated app, the original Steam Mobile app will see significant upgrades focused on account security. Our plans include better Steam Guard options to help securely log into your Steam account, such as QR codes and one-touch login, and improved app navigation.
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Jamrock User

Jamrock User

Member
Jan 24, 2018
3,163
I hope android gets support for the long touch the icon to get options without actually opening the app support.

The hell is it called?
 
Gentlemen

Gentlemen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,527
So steam guard will work like the blizzard authenticator app, right? notification, push button on app, done?
 
Nex

Nex

Member
Oct 25, 2017
58
for so long i wanted mobile steam chat, like really long
then everyone just moved to discord
 

Deleted member 11214

user requested account closure
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Oct 27, 2017
731
Keeping in mind that I'm old and don't understand why people I know have five or six forms of social media, I don't understand why these individual apps for this and Steam Link are better than everything just getting built into a centralized app?
 
PurpleMoustache

PurpleMoustache

Member
Oct 29, 2017
2,587
merf said:
Keeping in mind that I'm old and don't understand why people I know have five or six forms of social media, I don't understand why these individual apps for this and Steam Link are better than everything just getting built into a centralized app?
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I mean the real reason is marketing. If a services features are broken up into multiple apps on the app store, someone may stumble upon one, find the main one, etc.

Either that, or keeping bloat down. Facebook used to have everything in one app. Facebook, posts, image tagging and (light) editing. Camera, voice, and text chats. It became a MASSIVE app, around 500 MB, if I remember correctly, and we're talking 2010 data here. Changes on one end of the codebase could ruin something on the other end, and it starts to make sense to separate things out.
 
eonden

eonden

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,087
I really like the code-system because it was useful even when your phone was offline (as you could just save the codes when you first activate Steam Guard). I hope they improve the base Steam app, as it is annoying as hell doing any purchase / search with it.

About decoupling, I guess like FB it is to decrease the hazzle of having too many stuff in the same app, but as I dont really use Steam Chat not sure I will really use this app.
 

Deleted member 3196

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
1,280
The app is good. Does what I need it to.

Hopefully the update to the main Steam app doesn't take forever.
 
Hamster Plugin

Hamster Plugin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,841
Now that the chat and the Steam Link (remote play) apps are separate, what is going to remain in the "main Steam app" other than authentication? Might as well rename that one to Steam Authenticator.
 
eonden

eonden

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,087
Hamster Plugin said:
On iOS you aren't allowed to have a store without the Apple 30% cut so that would leave just authentication.
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Ok then:
Authentification, Trade, Community (with the new Calendar function for the events), Library (for remote install for Steam Link) and Store for the Android only version

(went to the app to see what else it does lol)

Edit:
Now, my annoyance is that they are not linked apps as of now, so it is kind of annoying having to log in to each one individually. I hope with the new Steam page, they make it so that you can access the app from each other:
You can click on talk with a friend in the Steam app and redirects you to the Steam Chat app with that friend
You can get trade requests through Steam Chat app and redirects you to the Steam app to accept them.
You can click the profile of a friend in the Steam Chat app and redirects you to his profile page in the Steam app with his history stuff.
You can click a game in your library in the Steam app and it automatically launches the Steam Link app with that game (somewhat).
etc.
 
Last edited:
AlanOC91

AlanOC91

Owner of YGOPRODeck.com
Verified
Nov 5, 2017
961
flyingman said:
Why there are multiple apps . Just do it one app
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They explained it here.

"We actually gain significant improvements in development time and the ability to ship updates with the framework the chat app is built in. It also makes the apps and shipping updates to them significantly easier when the app itself is more focused on a specific feature set and can better share specific development resources with the rest of the Steam product base like the new chat app can. This same benefit should propagate to the Steam app while we are improving it which will allow us to keep it significantly more up-to-date than we have historically and will make shipping updates to it much easier for us."
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TeenageFBI

TeenageFBI

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,242
Google Authenticator/Authy support for 2FA pls. I don't like my Steam account being tied to one device like it is now.
 
liquidmetal14

liquidmetal14

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,094
Florida
TeenageFBI said:
Google Authenticator/Authy support for 2FA pls. I don't like my Steam account being tied to one device like it is now.
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True. I actually had a bit of an issue a few months back that Valve resolved quickly after emailing them since I had changed to a new phone+number and needed that original phone to receive Steam Guard codes. It's fixed now and working on my new phone but would also like Google Authentication support just in case Steam Guard is having issues.

Tried the app and it works well enough. I don't actually use chat that much but it will be kept as a companion app next to the normal Steam app.
 
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