Apple removes Hong Kong protest app, Quartz news app following Chinese criticism

[midian182]

In brief: Apple has long had a reputation for kowtowing to the Chinese government, and that isn’t going to improve after it removed a Hong Kong protest app and the Quartz news app from its App Store.

Last week, HKmap, a crowdsourced map app that shared data on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests and police activity in the area, was rejected from the App Store because it “facilitates, enables, and encourages an activity that is not legal.” But Apple quickly reversed its decision, approving the app for sale in Hong Kong.

Unsurprisingly, Apple was criticized by Chinese state media for allowing HKmap onto its store, claiming it allowed “rioters in Hong Kong to go on violent acts,” and adding that Apple has to "think about the consequences of its unwise and reckless decision."

Now, the app has been delisted, with Apple writing it “has been used in ways that endanger law enforcement and residents in Hong Kong,” though its developers say there is no evidence supporting this claim. They added that apps such as Waze, which uses crowdsourcing so users can avoid traffic cameras and police, are allowed on the App Store.

Separately, news organization Quartz told The Verge that its app had been removed from the Chinese version of the App Store. The removal is thought to be over its coverage of the Hong Kong protests and comes after complaints from the Chinese government.

Quartz says it received a notice from Apple informing it the app “includes content that is illegal in China.”

China is a lucrative market for Apple—its third largest—which could explain why Cupertino doesn’t want to risk incurring the wrath of the country's government and being frozen out. Back in 2017, it removed VPN apps from China’s app store, and it recently removed the Taiwan flag emoji from iOS keyboards in Hong Kong.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/82284-apple-removes-hong-kong-protest-app-quartz-news.html

 

[candle_86]

Hong Kong should reach out to the ROC for support, they would have an interest in regaining territory agasint the prc. Our government should lend material aid to Hong Kong, we have an interest in democracy which is what China needs.

 

[Panda218]

Don't forget, Apple also removed the Taiwan flag emoji in HK cause the overlords didn't approve of it's usage.

business as usual...

 

[psycros]

I have a real hard time believing that Apple makes that much money in China. Only the rich can afford an actual iPhone over there..everyone else uses high-quality knockoffs that were reverse engineered. This is true of almost EVERY tech product in the country. Never forget that to do business in China you have to transfer much of your IP to a Chinese company. Their entire economy is built on technology that was either stolen or given away by stupid westerners.

 

[m4a4]

I have a real hard time believing that Apple makes that much money in China. Only the rich can afford an actual iPhone over there..everyone else uses high-quality knockoffs that were reverse engineered. This is true of almost EVERY tech product in the country. Never forget that to do business in China you have to transfer much of your IP to a Chinese company. Their entire economy is built on technology that was either stolen or given away by stupid westerners.

Remember that Apple has facilities and likes buying the cheaper resources from China. From a business standpoint, they can't exactly have the Chinese government cut those ties off. With how vindictive the gov't is, I would bet they're willing to do that (even to Apple).

Also, I love how Techspot is pre-censoring the Blizzard-China articles. Kind of ironic, isn't it? Lol

 

[dangh]

I have a real hard time believing that Apple makes that much money in China. Only the rich can afford an actual iPhone over there..everyone else uses high-quality knockoffs that were reverse engineered. This is true of almost EVERY tech product in the country. Never forget that to do business in China you have to transfer much of your IP to a Chinese company. Their entire economy is built on technology that was either stolen or given away by stupid westerners.

I think you have a wrong view on China. There are a lot of people who can easily buy iPhone and its price isn't much of an issue. Sure, most of the people can't afford it but there is enough of them to still make a solid market - luxury cars, phones have huge market in China. Apparently 7.5% of phones sold in China are Apple phones, and that is huge for this market. Additionally China sales generates around 10% of total Apple income. This is just 2-4 percent less than Europe sales.

 

[Panda218]

Remember that Apple has facilities and likes buying the cheaper resources from China. From a business standpoint, they can't exactly have the Chinese government cut those ties off. With how vindictive the gov't is, I would bet they're willing to do that (even to Apple).

Also, I love how Techspot is pre-censoring the Blizzard-China articles. Kind of ironic, isn't it? Lol

RIGHT?!!?! I was looking forward to commenting on this article, but clearly TS is scared of the overlords.

https://www.techspot.com/news/82265-shot-blizzard-epic-games-wont-punish-players-who.html

 

[Uncle Al]

Typical Apple ..... lots of proclamations with no action ...... kind of sounds like the government, doesn't it?

 

[wiyosaya]

crApple the company where the only thing that matters is profit. $400bn in the bank is not enough.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Another gutless money grubbing turd of a company where all that matter is the bottom line. Hilarious how they pontificate against Google and such about how they take user privacy seriously, but use slave labour in Foxconn concentration camps and could give a flying f@$k about human rights.

 

[BigBoomBoom]

I have a real hard time believing that Apple makes that much money in China. Only the rich can afford an actual iPhone over there..everyone else uses high-quality knockoffs that were reverse engineered. This is true of almost EVERY tech product in the country. Never forget that to do business in China you have to transfer much of your IP to a Chinese company. Their entire economy is built on technology that was either stolen or given away by stupid westerners.

You have a wrong view of China's wealth. If 10% of Chinese population can afford iPhone, that's still over 100 million customers. Yes, hundreds of millions are probably living in poverty yet millions other are very very wealthy. Their rich population is probably more than any single European country's total population alone.