Apple’s App Stores Lag Behind in Adhering to China’s New Regulatory Law
The Chinese government has recently unveiled a list of app stores that adhere to its new regulations, and notably, Apple is absent from it.
Following the implementation of a law mandating companies with app stores to furnish business details, China has released a roster of businesses that have complied with this requirement. Apple, it appears, has not made it onto this list.
As reported by Reuters on Wednesday, several other competitors in the same domain have submitted the necessary documentation and are in full compliance. In total, 26 companies have been included on the list, with six major players among them:
- Ant Group
- Baidu
- Huawei
- Tencent
- Samsung
- Xiaomi
The deadline for submitting this information has been established, and it is less than a year away. In August 2023, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced that companies must complete this process by March 2024. The law also extends its reach to app developers, requiring them, not just the app stores, to establish a presence in China or collaborate with a local publisher.
China’s new legislation extends beyond large app stores, encompassing a broader spectrum of companies. The regulations enforced by the CAC stipulate that any company engaged in internet information services via apps in fields such as news, publishing, education, film and television, and religion must also provide similar documentation.
The manner and timeline for Apple to meet the Chinese requirements remain uncertain. Equally unclear is how smaller entities, such as news outlets, will navigate these requirements.