Apple kicks hundreds more apps out of China’s App store

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The Chinese market is very important to Apple.
The Chinese market is very important to Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple continues to remove third-party applications from the Chinese version of the App Store for violating its terms of service. It reportedly removed 718 apps this week.

This isn’t the first time there’s been a purge from this software store. But this time none of the applications were breaking Chinese law, just Apple’s own rules.

Apple insists that all iOS software updates come through its App Store. The software just purged had all found ways around this rule, according to The Telegraph.

These weren’t offerings from no-name developers. Some well-known chinese’s businesses saw their apps pulled, including the Sogou search engine and the Pinduoduo social commerce company.

When something is removed from the App Store, the change just prevents new downloads. It doesn’t affect copies already installed on iPhones and iPads.

Far from the largest such App Store purge

A mere 700+ applications doesn’t hold a candle to the 25,000 apps kicked out of the Chinese App Store this summer. Many of these were gambling related, which is illegal in that country outside of state-sanctioned lotteries.

China has been urging Apple to take greater control over what’s in its online software store.  Clearly, it’s trying. And with good reason: CEO Tim Cook has often said his company considers China its biggest potential market.

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