Valve tests new Steam mobile app: Changes and other details

Steam is a digital distribution service for video games and also a storefront owned by Valve which has been available as one of the go-to platforms for PC games for some time now. Valve’s desktop app is widely popular, however, the mobile platform for the same was not that noteworthy.
However, this situation is expected to change in the coming days as the company is rolling out a new version of the Steam mobile app which is now available to a handful of beta testers. Valve has updated the news post section of the official Steam website to announce the release of the beta mobile app. The company mentions that it has updated the app with “a new framework and modernised the design.”
New changes coming to the Steam mobile app
Valve has confirmed that the app is getting a major overhaul but users will still be allowed to do things like — browsing the store, getting Steam Guard codes, and confirming trades. Along with this new makeover, the latest update will also add several improvements to the user experience which include — smarter notification system, a new Steam authenticator, support for multiple accounts, improved library view, enhanced trade confirmation, customised news feed based on library and better store browsing.

According to a report by Android Authority, the limited beta app for Android has streamlined the UI and has made notifications easier to find. The report also mentions that the login method has also been simplified and the app now allows a QR code login option.
Why Valve needed to update the Steam mobile app
As per the news post, the company has explained the reason behind updating the mobile app. Valve says that it asks invested Steam users to try something out and provide feedback. The feedback helps the company to test its assumptions, learn what users like and dislike and find things that need to be fixed. The company mentions that feedback is “especially important” when the app becomes available for many different phones and devices.
How to try out the revamped Steam mobile app
The Steam mobile app is available for both Android and iPhone users. Moreover, Valve has also encouraged users to download and test the improved app and finally provide feedback. Android users will get a link to join the beta from the Google Play Store.

On the other hand, iOS users will need to install Apple’s TestFlight app first which will eventually install the beta app automatically. However, Valve also notes that Apple’s guidelines limits iOS beta participants to 10,000 and those slots will fill up quickly. The company has also mentioned that more slots will be added as the beta progresses so users need to keep checking if the slots are full.