The Cyberspace Administration of China Releases List of App Stores Complying with New Regulations
The Cyberspace Administration of China has announced the names of the 26 app stores that have submitted the necessary paperwork to adhere to the country’s latest regulations. These regulations require both game developers and app stores to provide business information to the Chinese government.
Ensuring Compliance
Under the new rules, foreign app developers must work with a local company in order to release their games in the Chinese market. While Apple has reportedly failed to comply with these regulations, several other companies have managed to reach compliance.
The complete list of app stores that have filed the necessary paperwork includes:
- 360 Mobile Assistant
- Alipay Mini Program Technology Platform
- App Treasure
- Baidu Mini Program
- Baidu Mobile Assistant
- Coolpad App Store
- Huawei AppGallery
- Huawei Quick Application Center
- iFLYTEK AI Learning Machine Application Center
- Kuaishou Mini Program Open Platform
- Lenovo App Store
- Migu Games
- Mobile App Mall
- Mobile Financial Trusted Public Services
- Nubia Application Center
- OPPO Software Store
- QQ Mini Program
- Samsung App Store
- Tencent Mobile Manager
- Tutoring Machine App Store
- Vivo App Store
- Vivo Fast App
- WeChat Mini Program
- Xiaomi App Store
- Xiaomi Quick App Centre
- ZTF Application Center
The Rise of Alternative App Stores
According to the guidelines set by the Chinese government, developers must collaborate with a Chinese publisher to release their titles in the country. Each app store on the list is either based in China or operated by a domestic company to meet this requirement. For instance, the Samsung App Store is managed by Beijing Pengtai Boxing Technology, despite being a South Korean company.
This move is partly driven by cybersecurity concerns and a desire to protect China’s interests. Similar to how other countries have restricted the influence of Chinese companies, China is taking steps to limit data collection by foreign markets on Chinese consumers. Notably, China has long banned Google Play and recently barred government officials from using foreign-branded phones for work purposes.
Alternative app stores have gained popularity worldwide, with China being a particularly successful market for them. Despite the absence of Google Play, Android phones are still available, requiring users to download alternative app stores. As Apple faces some challenges in China, the popularity of these alternative stores may continue to grow.
Maple Story M, for example, generated an impressive $55 million in revenue during its first 35 days on the Chinese market, highlighting the strength of the country’s mobile industry.