Apple Culls Thousands From App Store After China's Accusations

Apple has gone on a gambling app sweep, yanking thousands of titles from the App Store in China after being called out by state-controlled media. The iPhone-maker is believed to have yanked more than 25,000 apps, which fall foul of Chinese laws around gambling software.

China has implemented tough regulations when it comes to just what apps can offer, and what's considered "gambling" software. In May 2017, for instance, the Chinese government forced companies offering loot boxes to disclose the odds involved in getting different items. The rule followed criticisms that developers were targeting gamers – particularly younger gamers – by dangling coveted virtual items in front of them, but with little possibility of actually finding them "inside" each loot box.

Now, Apple has been targeted specifically in China. Government-controlled media in the country accused Apple of knowingly hosting a variety of gambling-themed titles, including fake lottery ticket apps. The software, the reports claimed, had led to significant losses from innocent users.

"Gambling apps are illegal and not allowed on the App Store in China," Apple told Bloomberg in a statement on the Chinese reports. "We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store."

An exact count of how many apps have been affected has not been made. Local reports suggested more than 4,000 were unceremoniously pulled in one day's sweep alone.

The issue underlines some of the challenges companies face when trying to operate in China, particularly when it comes to running a download store of third-party titles. Google Play, Google's equivalent of the App Store for Android devices, is notably absent from the Chinese market. That decision has cost the company billions, experts estimate, but it's unclear whether Google's policy – notably the reverse of Apple's – to allow developers to submit their software and then take a retrospective approach to approvals should automated systems or user reports flag inappropriate, illegal, or potentially dangerous titles could operate within Chinese law.

Nonetheless, the lure of Chinese profits is enough to keep companies coming back for another attempt to crack the market. In Google's case, there's the controversial local news and search app it's building, which would offer censored results for Chinese users. Apple, meanwhile, has previously removed apps that relied on its CallKit functionality, after Chinese regulators accused the company of enabling iPhone and iPad users to bypass censorship and surveillance tools that are prevalent in the country.