China’s cyberspace regulator unveiled on Wednesday a roster of 26 mobile app stores that have successfully submitted their business particulars to the China’s Cyberspace Administration(CAC). Notable names on the list include tech giants Tencent, Huawei, Ant Group, Baidu, Xiaomi, and Samsung. Conspicuously absent from the lineup is Apple’s App Store, sparking speculation about the tech titan’s stance on Beijing’s stringent new regulations.
Over recent years, China has progressively tightened its grip on smartphone technology and mobile applications, with the latest directive mandating app stores and applications to furnish comprehensive business data. Failure to comply with this directive may result in severe consequences for non-compliant entities found hosting illicit content.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology laid down the gauntlet in August, stipulating a deadline for mobile applications to complete their filings by the end of March. As of now, Apple remains tight-lipped about its strategy to adhere to the fresh regulatory framework, prompting industry experts to speculate that a substantial purge of applications from the App Store in China may be on the horizon.
In contrast, industry heavyweights Tencent and Huawei have wasted no time in taking proactive steps to ensure conformity within their respective app ecosystems. Given Apple’s influential position in the market, it’s anticipated that the company will soon make its move, awaiting only the green light to initiate compliance efforts.
Under the prevailing regulations, all mobile applications must undergo scrutiny by regulatory authorities, with any hint of illicit content leading to accountability for the app in question. With the implementation of these new rules, the pathway to app deployment in China is poised to become considerably more arduous, potentially resulting in the removal of a substantial number of applications.
Despite repeated requests for comment, Apple has yet to offer any official response to queries. As the industry holds its breath for Apple’s next move, conjecture abounds about the impact the company’s actions will have on the Chinese app market. In the interim, China’s Cyberspace Administration remains resolute in its mission to ensure app stores toe the line, ready to mete out repercussions for any apps falling short of mandated standards.
Source: Reuters
