Android Market Blocked By Chinese Government

It appears that China and Google are butting horns again, this time with Google on the losing end with a complete block of their mobile OS Android's apps market being completely blocked throughout several major regions in the country. Speculation around the situation points to no less than the virtual visit of the Dalai Lama to South Africa. Seem sort of disparate? Those of you following the life and adventures of the Lama know that he and China have minced words more than once, and for those of us conspiracy theorists in the tech world, here's the skivvy: China may well have simply been looking for an excuse to block Google's mobile OS so that they could dominate in-country with their own.

For some healthy reading on what China is doing with their own mobile OS, check back at the informative post by Rue from a few weeks ago: Baidu to fork Android for own mobile OS in China and note here that that OS will be called Qiushi, and could very well pose a "threat" to Android in the country. As far as the cutting off of the Android Market, (and Gmail as well as Google.com too, for those of you keeping count,) it's The Register that lets us know that the cutdown happened soon after Google+ allowed the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to meet via Hangout, as outlined by Google's Vic Gundotra a day or two before the event.

Now China has had their own mobile OS in the works since this past March, but take note that this OS is made by "the Chinese Google," a search engine by the name of Baidu. Recent word is that the government is involved in the creation of the OS now as well, but secrecy remains high.

Having your entire website AND your email service AND your apps market for your mobile OS blocked all at once definitely seems like a downer, no matter what company you are. In the face of the government of the largest nation in the world – that's a double bummer. What will you do, Google?

[via Android Community]