Apple Freezing Updates for Many iOS Games on China App Store

[MacRumors]

Apple has frozen updates for thousands of iOS mobile games on the App Store in China, due to these apps lacking an official license from Chinese regulators (via Financial Times). Previously in February, Apple gave app developers a June 30 deadline to prove they had a license for their games.

Now that it's July, Apple said that developers would not be able to update their games without a license. The move is said to come from "increasing government pressure" on Apple to comply with local regulations, which have been in place since 2016.

“No one is entirely clear how Apple managed to avoid enforcing the 2016 licensing rule for so long. But considering the US-China trade war began heating up earlier this year, the timing is suspicious,” said Todd Kuhns, marketing manager for the consultancy group App in China, which estimated that the move could cost Apple up to $879m in lost sales.

In total, Apple is estimated to host around 60,000 gaming apps in China that are paid downloads or include in-app purchases. Among that amount, China's regulators have issues just over 43,000 licenses since 2010, while in 2019 about 1,570 licenses were granted to developers.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Freezing Updates for Many iOS Games on China App Store

 

[0924487]

It's not difficult to apply for a license as long as you have a Chinese partner. If not, ask Mckinsey Shanghai office for help. China probably doesn't want to waste foreign reserves unnecessarily on pointless piles of gems and coins.

 

[HiVolt]

LOL. I bet the terms of the license are "you oblige to censor and modify anything we deem offensive".

 

[simonmet]

Apple should pull their manufacturing out of China. By manufacturing there they indirectly support the regime.

 

[itsmilo]

LOL. I bet the terms of the license are "you oblige to censor and modify anything we deem offensive".

Didn’t they block Animal Crossing because a random user dared to add a custom Hong Kong flag or something to his island? China is such a whiny B. with no backbone. Imagine a person gets offended by all those minor things, let alone a government

 

[Biu_miu]

Apple should pull their manufacturing out of China. By manufacturing there they indirectly support the regime.

Well, it’s a double edged sword...companies exist, because they can produce ultra cheap stuff in China and Chine exists, because companies come and produce their stuff there. Alternative is Apple finding some other country with super low labour costs, end cost of the product would be through the roof, if it was manufactured somewhere in America or Europe...

 

[Shirasaki]

Well, what to expect at this point really. China clearly has put Apple in their so-called “unreliable entities” list and tries whatever they can to pressure Apple without directly kicking Apple out of China, probably because of the social impact of millions of workers losing job overnight is a bit tough to bear.

 

[CarlJ]

Apple should pull their manufacturing out of China. By manufacturing there they indirectly support the regime.

They should (or at least some of it), but that’s not a move they can make overnight.

 

[dogslobber]

Western companies shouldn't be helping prop up communist regimes like the Chinese government. Every time one of them bows to a communist demand we all lose. Let's start telling them to free Tibet too.

 

[DeadeyeM]

I see Apple is still being China's or CCP B***

 

[Bandaman]

Apple should pull their manufacturing out of China. By manufacturing there they indirectly support the regime.

It would be nice. China’s government sucks.

 

[SBlue1]

Imagine a person gets offended by all those minor things, let alone a government

I quickly scan read thru the posts and for a moment I thought someone was flaming Trump again. LOL!

 

[itsmilo]

Western companies shouldn't be helping prop up communist regimes like the Chinese government. Every time one of them bows to a communist demand we all lose. Let's start telling them to free Tibet too.

i wonder if Macrumors is still available in China after this comment. How dare you mention the word Tibet ?

 

[incoherent_1]

Well, it’s a double edged sword...companies exist, because they can produce ultra cheap stuff in China and Chine exists, because companies come and produce their stuff there. Alternative is Apple finding some other country with super low labour costs, end cost of the product would be through the roof, if it was manufactured somewhere in America or Europe...

I think we’re seeing a gradual shift to diversify with production lines spinning up in India and Brazil, two countries that are excellent candidates (plenty of highly skilled labor, large populations, lower cost of living compared to US/EU, and both are democracies).

I doubt we’ll ever see production in China end, but diversification will be better for the consumer and Apple — lower chance of trade wars or supply chain disruptions causing issues.

 

[B4U]

Especially after their national security "law" came into effect...

 

[alphaod]

China is only communist by name only. Local people elect their local officials, local officials eventually get elected into the congress and the party lead is the President.

If anything we have more socialistic and communistic policies in the west with all the taxation on the hard working and endless benefits to the lazy.

 

[Shirasaki]

i wonder if Macrumors is still available in China after this comment. How dare you mention the word Tibet ?

Last time I check, without VPN I could not open macrumours at all. So I am pretty confident it is blocked in China already.

 

[Muzzakus]

China is only communist by name only. Local people elect their local officials, local officials eventually get elected into the congress and the party lead is the President.

If anything we have more socialistic and communistic policies in the west with all the taxation on the hard working and endless benefits to the lazy.

Is this a joke? I know it’s hard to tell apart the USA progressives from coldwar Russians but that’s ridiculous.

 

[0924487]

Well, it’s a double edged sword...companies exist, because they can produce ultra cheap stuff in China and Chine exists, because companies come and produce their stuff there. Alternative is Apple finding some other country with super low labour costs, end cost of the product would be through the roof, if it was manufactured somewhere in America or Europe...

We just don’t have as many qualified Engineers because we don’t send the best and brightest through STEM education. On the contrary, STEM students are looked down upon socially as nerdy. They aren’t the popular kids and they don’t get the hottest dates. Girls, especially, are peer pressured not to be geeked out in those fields. In the end, it’s the Asians here who are picking up the slack, and yet Harvard and other good universities don’t want them because they are the new Jews.

We also don’t have very good colleges for technicians.

We also don’t have enough people willing to work 10 hour shifts 6 days a week in a factory with minimal benefits for $1000 a month, which is about the salary for a Foxconn factory worker.
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i wonder if Macrumors is still available in China after this comment. How dare you mention the word Tibet 😅

I checked before, it is. There is a tool for it, just google. Moderator will probably remove it when they see it.

 

[0924487]

I think we’re seeing a gradual shift to diversify with production lines spinning up in India and Brazil, two countries that are excellent candidates (plenty of highly skilled labor, large populations, lower cost of living compared to US/EU, and both are democracies).

I doubt we’ll ever see production in China end, but diversification will be better for the consumer and Apple — lower chance of trade wars or supply chain disruptions causing issues.

I think in the end, Apple will make most things in the US with tools, parts, and robots made in China. Tim said a lot about can’t find any Manufacturing and Tooling Engineers in the US in the last.

I don’t see them expanding to India etc. India is a low-tech country with many gaps and holes in expertise and capabilities. The government there is inefficient, superstitious and corrupt. Human rights problems such as the cast system, social mobility, and the treatment of women are generations worse than China.

Moving to Taiwan, more likely, but iPhones will start at $999 again for the non-pro models.

Note that, China, just like the US is not gonna transfer technology and talent to their competitors in India etc. So... you can’t just copy and paste. You can hire off many Chinese executives and Engineers to work here in the US, but no one will be willing to go to India even with a pay rise. It would be a significant quality-of-life downgrade that most will not accept.

 

[Bustycat]

China is only communist by name only. Local people elect their local officials, local officials eventually get elected into the congress and the party lead is the President.

If anything we have more socialistic and communistic policies in the west with all the taxation on the hard working and endless benefits to the lazy.

People could indirectly vote for governors, mayors, etc., but the real power is controlled by secretaries appointed by the communist party.

 

[iDento]

I think in the end, Apple will make most things in the US with tools, parts, and robots made in China. Tim said a lot about can’t find any Manufacturing and Tooling Engineers in the US in the last.

I don’t see them expanding to India etc. India is a low-tech country with many gaps and holes in expertise and capabilities. The government there is inefficient, superstitious and corrupt. Human rights problems such as the cast system, social mobility, and the treatment of women are generations worse than China.

Moving to Taiwan, more likely, but iPhones will start at $999 again for the non-pro models.

Note that, China, just like the US is not gonna transfer technology and talent to their competitors in India etc. So... you can’t just copy and paste. You can hire off many Chinese executives and Engineers to work here in the US, but no one will be willing to go to India even with a pay rise. It would be a significant quality-of-life downgrade that most will not accept.

Wait for a couple of years and the iPhone manufactured in China will become 999$ for the non-pro model because the Chinese market is changing.

Back to the post, what if "god forbid" the game was developed by someone who raises the flag of HongKong or even worse, is an Uyghur? And for the majority of those who blame Timmy for that, you do buy Chinese products and you're not helping either.

 

[phalseHUD]

Apple should pull their manufacturing out of China. By manufacturing there they indirectly support the regime.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. It’s sickening to know that any purchase I may make from Apple, will be indirectly supporting this dictatorship and it’s impact on the world. Yes, Apple are not alone... The only thing that would work as I see it, is an international boycott, but I’d imagine this is unlikely to happen any time soon.

It’s also disgusting to think that here in GB, our Government has allowed a Chinese state-run company like Huawei, into our infrastructure. Absolute disgrace.

 

[Tech198]

“No one is entirely clear how Apple managed to avoid enforcing the 2016 licensing rule for so long.

As bad as this may be I reckon, just like anything else Apple has to backpay for,,, this shouldn't be excused..

Chinese developers won't pay for their licening, we know that, all they do is get around stuff, so Apple may as well backpay for the non-licensing they did all that time. After all.. Apple was the one ignoring it for so long, so they should be paying.

Apple should pull their manufacturing out of China. By manufacturing there they indirectly support the regime.

I can't see them loosing money from lost sales from China.. You could also argue that is the reason China people buys iPhones, because their assembled there..

 

[ErikGrim]

It would be nice. China’s government sucks.

I mean yeah, but also *gestures wildly at the US*