Apple has removed two meta apps from China’s App Store at the request of the Chinese government. Both WhatsApp and Threads are no longer available in the App Store, and you can no longer install new messaging or social apps.
Why Apple removed two apps in China
The Wall Street Journal first reported the development in the United States on Thursday night. According to WSJ, Apple has been asked by China’s top internet regulator to remove the Threads and WhatsApp apps available to iPhone users in China.
apple speaks 9to5 mac The Cyberspace Administration of China is said to have cited national security concerns in its request.
“We are obligated to follow the laws of the countries in which we operate, even if we disagree with them,” Apple says. “The Cyberspace Administration of China has ordered these apps to be removed from Chinese storefronts based on national security concerns. These apps will continue to be available for download on all other storefronts where they appear. can.”
In Apple’s view, the immediate risk of not complying with legal demands is the possibility of the App Store being shut down in China.
Requires a VPN
Threads has been available in China since its debut as a Top 5 app last July. China has banned access to meta services, so it’s a bit surprising that Threads lasted nearly a year. It’s also surprising that WhatsApp has been available for so long.
Meta services can technically still be accessed via VPN tools that allow you to spoof your location. Presumably, if the app is already installed, iPhone users can still access the service using the VPN tool.
Apple regularly responds to Chinese requests to remove software, including VPNs, news and social media apps, from the App Store when legally required to do so.
TikTok timing
However, the timing of this development is interesting, as Apple CEO Tim Cook was just in the area on a regularly scheduled visit. The TikTok sale bill appears to be stalled in Congress for now, but China’s calls for national security concerns on Threads and WhatsApp sound like a response.
WhatsApp and Threads could be the first of many similar apps to be banned by China between now and this summer. That’s when the deadline for unregistered foreign apps will reportedly go into effect.
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