Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeTechnologyLatest Technology NewsSkype in China Blocked on App Stores

Skype in China Blocked on App Stores

Skype in China is no more available. The two biggest smartphone app stores, Play Store and Apple’s app store have delisted the application.

Apple’s Verdict on Skype in China

Apple states that it did not specifically target Skype. Instead, it is one of the many other applications blocked in China.

Microsoft in Talks to Make Skype Available Again

Microsoft that owns Skype has already made a statement that it is working on the problem. The company says that the app is temporarily unavailable. However, the company aims to make it available at the earliest possible.

Recent Disruptions

Media reports already suggest that the Skype disruptions are going back to October this year. Therefore, Apple is already in touch with China’s Ministry of Public Security. Apple is in discussions with the ministry since many applications that it features, fail to comply with local laws.

The unavailability of service will create a lot of problems for the users. Thus, the inability of users to use it would result in lack of collaboration and coordination. However, the fate of Skype remains unclear for Android operating system.

Skype Blocked in China on App Stores

Skype Download Problems in China

Besides the unavailability of the application, Chinese users cannot initiate Skype download. It is not the first time Apple removed some applications from its Chinese application store. It is done that in the past as well. The company came under criticism for removing VPNs in China from its app store. Therefore, more of the app users are not happy with the company removing applications from its store. Many of the creators of VPN product also did not like the move by Apple. However, at that time the company took the stance that it had to comply with the government’s requirements.

China’s Strict Censorship Policies

China’s government is known the world over for its strict censorship policies. The Chinese internet users cannot access a large number of websites online. Many argue that the academics in China cannot consult with the resources outside the country. Therefore, they believe such bans would impact the quality of research.

Apple Users in China

Every company wants to protect its business interests. Apple is no different in this regard. The banning of Skype in China shows the will to take on the Chinese government’s strict censorship policies. Estimates suggest that Apple has 131 million iPhone users in the country. Therefore, the profits that it makes in China add to the lucrativeness of this market. Hence, we are bound to see more applications removed from the app stores if they fail to adhere to the requirements.

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