China may remove a large number of iOS apps from the App Store.

According to the WSJ , China has requested that Apple comply with regulations on managing foreign-origin apps on its App Store (for iOS and iPadOS). For many years, the world's most populous country has tightened its internet content filters to prevent domestic users from accessing certain foreign websites and apps. To use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, or Google services, users with domestic internet connections in China are forced to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

Statistics from research firm Sensor Tower show that in the last 10 years, there have been over 170 million downloads of the aforementioned social media/messaging apps in China alone. Of these, Instagram has nearly 54 million downloads since 2012, Facebook 37 million, YouTube 34 million, X 33 million, and WhatsApp ranks last with 13 million downloads.

Apple is being asked to register its foreign-origin apps in China.

With the new regulations, the firewall – a tool used to block access to banned Chinese websites and services – will have its long- exploited vulnerabilities patched. Specifically, Apple cannot provide services from overseas if the application has not been registered with the regulatory authority. However, registration is not easy, according to experts, as it involves data transfer and censorship issues. To avoid penalties, Apple is forced to remove the application from the App Store.

The new regulations apply to all foreign companies operating in the same sector, but Apple is significantly affected as it has approximately 1,000 unregistered software programs. At the same time, two domestic companies, Huawei and Xiaomi, have updated their rules and urged software developers to complete the registration process.

If registration is impossible, Apple will have to remove many apps from its app store, a service that contributes significantly to the company's business performance in China. To operate smoothly there, Apple has made quite a few concessions. In 2020, the American company removed thousands of apps related to video games.

Therefore, Chinese technology experts believe that Apple will continue to comply with the new regulations, and in the future, software from domestic developers will have a significant advantage in the App Store here.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/trung-quoc-co-the-xoa-hang-loat-ung-dung-ios-khoi-app-store-18523100313585563.htm