Apple drops Meta-owned WhatsApp, Threads from Chinese App Store

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Apple has removed Meta-owned WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China, The Wall Street Journal reported. This follows a 2023 law from Chinese authorities that requires the removal of unregistered or outdated apps on iOS’ and Android’s app stores.

The removal comes amid an increasingly tense climate between the US and China on tech products, which include a chip war and a possible TikTok ban by the US government.

For its part, Apple justified the removal of the two apps by citing its need to comply with local laws, following an order by China’s internet regulator.

Most foreign social media platforms like WhatsApp can’t be accessed in China unless a VPN is used, due to the country’s internet restrictions. However, this removal further restricts Chinese users’ access to US-made platforms.

Beijing mandated all app developers to register with its government by the end of March, with warnings by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of strict action against unregistered apps.

In the US, the House of Representatives passed a bill last month that would ban TikTok in the country unless the short-video app’s parent firm, ByteDance, divests its interest in the platform. The bill will still need to go through Senate approval before being made into law.

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