Apple Removes Meta-Owned WhatsApp And Threads From Its App Store In China; Know Why?

Image Credit: Reuters

New Delhi: The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple has removed the Meta-owned WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China. The company has made this move after the request of the Chinese government. 

According to The Financial Times reports, the iPhone manufacturer company asserted that the country's internet regulator Cyberspace Administration of China had ordered the applications' removal from the App Store because of 'national security concerns'. 

"We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree," Apple was quoted as saying. According to the report, Meta's other communications platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are still available on the App Store in the country.

According to Rich Bishop, chief executive of the leading international app publisher in China, AppInChina, the apps were delisted after the Chinese government's internet regulator and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced a deadline of April 1 for app developers to register with the government.

In China, Apple saw a double-digit decline in overall smartphone unit sales in the first six weeks of 2024. iPhone sales fell 24 per cent over the period because of stiff competition, according to Counterpoint Research.

According to Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang, "Although the iPhone 15 is a great device, it has no significant upgrades from the previous version, so consumers feel fine holding on to the older-generation iPhones for now".

Apart from this, Apple has recently launched the latest beta version of its iOS operating system, termed as iOS 17.5 Beta 2. The new version packs with the new features and functionalities. It will be available to eligible iPhone models after its public release next month. (With Inputs From IANS)