Apple Tightens App Scrutiny In China: Apple (AAPL.O) just added a requirement for new apps that want to be the first on its China App Store. This intelligent move shows how closely regulators are looking at apps. Apple now requires potential app developers to go through a lot of trouble to prove that they have a license from the Chinese government. This aligns with what its competitors have done for years to meet strict state standards.
Information on Apple’s official developer website says that as of last Friday, app makers had to send Apple an Internet Content Provider (ICP) filing along with their apps for the App Store. At least since 2017, most Chinese app stores, including those run by industry giants like Tencent (0700. HK) and Huawei (HWT.UL), have needed the ICP file, a long-standing registration process necessary for legal business online in China.
However, getting an ICP filing license is hard because coders must set up a business in China or work with a local publisher. In the past, this requirement has made it hard for many apps from outside China to get into the affluent Chinese market.
Apple’s flexible ICP policy gave the tech giant a competitive edge by letting it push more mobile apps than its regional competitors. This helped Apple progress in China, now its third-biggest market after the U.S. and Europe.
Apple changed its policy because the country is paying more attention to mobile apps. This was shown in August when a strict law was enacted that required all app shops and makers to give regulators detailed business information in their app filings.
Even though the law changed, the Chinese government did not include Apple’s App Store in the first list of mobile app shops that had finished app filings. Apple hasn’t said anything yet in answer to questions about this matter.
The consequences of Apple’s compliance status are wide-ranging, and it may change how thousands of programs on its China App Store can be used. This includes well-known foreign apps like Telegram and X (which used to be called Twitter) that became popular during protests against COVID-19 lockdowns last year.
Also Read: Apple Revamps TV App : iTunes Movie Trailers Integration
Apple has problems in China that go beyond just following the rules. According to a story from Reuters from the previous month, government organizations reportedly tell their employees not to use iPhones.
Rich Bishop, CEO of app publishing business App In China, says the need for ICP reports is a big step toward Apple being fully compliant in the Chinese market.
According to the expanded regulatory framework in August, the backend of an app that wants to be in local Android app stores must be housed in China. This is a new requirement.
Many developers have taken to social media sites to talk about how upset they are with Apple’s choice and to say that they think there will be more rules in the future. In a post on X, independent maker Jinyu Meng said, “If my apps can’t be launched in China without app filing, I will take them down [there].”
Meanwhile, iPhone users in China who are loud about their support for iOS X are considering using Apple accounts from other countries to keep using their favourite apps.
The new law says that apps that don’t have the proper paperwork after a grace time that ends in March of next year will be fined. Since September, new apps that want to enter the Apple App Store in China must meet this legal condition.
Our Reader’s Queries
Did Apple enforce new check on apps in China as Beijing tightens oversight?
Apple’s recent move to require app developers to submit an “app filing” with regulators in China is a response to the country’s increased scrutiny of mobile apps. This new rule, which was released in August, requires all app stores and developers to provide business details to regulators. By complying with this regulation, Apple is ensuring that its app store remains in good standing with Chinese authorities. This move is part of a larger trend of increased regulation of technology companies in China, as the government seeks to exert greater control over the digital landscape.
Is China lists mobile app stores that comply with new rule but Apple missing?
China’s cyberspace regulator has published the names of the initial app stores that have adhered to the new regulations mandating them to provide business information to the government. The list comprises app stores run by Tencent, Huawei, Ant Group, Baidu, Xiaomi, and Samsung. However, Apple’s App Store is not included in the list.
Did Apple China met to discuss Beijing’s crackdown on Western apps?
According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple (AAPL.O) employees have met with Chinese officials to address concerns regarding new regulations that will limit the number of foreign apps available on the company’s app store in China. This move could potentially impact the tech giant’s ability to offer a wide range of apps to its Chinese customers.
Is Apple tied to China?
For years, iPhones have been manufactured in China. However, due to the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, Apple has been urging its suppliers to relocate their supply chain outside of China. This move is aimed at reducing the impact of the trade war on Apple’s business operations.