Can you use Google Stadia with iPhone?

With Google Stadia’s launch, it’s natural to want a chance to try this new high-end game streaming service for yourself. The question is, if you’re an iPhone user, can you get in on the game?

If you head over to the App Store on an iPhone, you will indeed see that there’s a Google Stadia App . However, as our own Ben Schoon reported, the app won’t let you play any games. Instead, its functionality is described like this:

The Stadia app allows you to set up and manage Stadia across compatible devices. You can’t use the Stadia app to play games directly on an iOS device, but you can use the app to manage Stadia on other devices.

iPhone users shouldn’t feel too left out however, since the service supports only a very limited number of devices at launch. Only the Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a and Pixel 4 smartphones support mobile play at launch — so most Android phones are also excluded.

Google’s Stadia FAQ does not explicitly state that iOS devices will receive the ability for mobile play in future. However, that does not mean there’s no point to the iOS Stadia app. If you’re a Stadia user playing via the Chromecast Ultra, the iOS app provides a convenient way to manage that experience.

Google Stadia for iPhone in the future?

Google intends to expand Stadia support to more devices after the initial launch is over. The aim is to provide the service on TVs, laptops, desktop computers and “select” phones and tablets.  These future plans include Chrome OS tablets, but for now which specific mobile devices Google will add to Stadia mobile play remains anyone’s guess. For now the answer to the question of whether Google Stadia, as a way to play games, works on an iPhone, is sadly “no”.