Apple Removes Nearly 30,000 Apps From China App Store

Apple on Saturday removed nearly 30,000 apps from its Chinese App Store due to the apps lacking an official license from local regulators, reports Reuters.

appstore
The report, which cites data from research firm Qimai, says that 90% of the apps removed were games. The report also mentions that over 2,500 additional apps were removed from the China App Store over the first week of July.

Apple in February gave app developers an initial June 30 deadline to prove they had a license for their games, and the company last month froze updates for thousands of iOS mobile games lacking an official license.

Apple on July 8 reportedly warned developers of app removals should their apps not meet regulatory requirements.

Apple sent a reminder to game developers July 8 about its plans for the removal if they didn’t meet regulatory requirements for payments by the end of the month, Qimai said, citing an email from the iPhone maker.

The removal of apps lacking official licenses is said to come from increasing government pressure on Apple to comply with local regulations that have been in place since 2016.

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Top Rated Comments

dannyyankou Avatar
60 months ago
Just stop doing business in China. Don’t associate yourself with that communist state
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iLoveDeveloping Avatar
60 months ago
Stupid Chinese government
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PlayUltimate Avatar
60 months ago

Just stop doing business in China. Don’t associate yourself with that communist state
You can't change the game if you are not willing to play.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
budselectjr Avatar
60 months ago
Every single product they manufacture in China and every single dollar they make there signals how ok Apple is with human rights violations and genocide. They are not disavowing what is happening to the Uighurs so they must support it. Same goes for all the other companies that bend over backwards for China.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KidAKidB Avatar
60 months ago

Stupid Chinese government
Sure, but Apple could have a backbone and say no.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
60 months ago

You can't change the game if you are not willing to play.
Successful boycotts show otherwise.

What definitely won't change the game is just going along with it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)