Apple Pulls WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Threads From App Store in China Following Order

[JosephAW]

Why didn’t they pull iMessage as well? That’s supposed to be encrypted, oh wait, never mind.

 

[PixelsMaster]

Confused by all of the comparisons to EU. Pulling these apps from the App Store isn’t going to affect Apple’s revenue the same way alternative app stores and other EU regulations do.

 

[Musocat]

When a principle comes up against the dollar, the principle fares ill.

 

[zakarhino]

Good for them. Remove all the possible color revolution channels prior to the CIA ramp up. Nobody really uses these apps over there anyway, half of them already blocked. Taiwan SMO soon maybe. The Chinese are impossible to defeat at this point, too much competence across the board.

 

[aevan]

People celebrating EUs control must be super excited about this too?

Because what EU is doing and what China is doing is the same?

This is one weird take.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Every country controls speech and communication. Period.

I never claimed otherwise and you are absolutely welcome to compare the breadth and depth of “speech control” employed by China to basically any of the Western democracies. Brutal totalitarian regimes tend to exert a lot more control than constitutional democracies, which kind of goes without saying and strays into territory the mods don’t like us to explore in here.

 

[DaPhox]

Because what EU is doing and what China is doing is the same?

Correct.

 

[zakarhino]

Surprised that they were allowed as people can't access those services in mainland China.

It’s a nothingburger story as usual. Just more drivel from WSJ to stoke the fires of anti China sentiment in the West so everyone’s onboard when we decide how important it is to “defend Taiwan’s freedoms”

 

[BootsWalking]

Take note of the uproar that is sure to come in this thread, then compare it to the reaction to when the US forces TikTok out of the picture.

I don't see how the two aren't consistent. People don't want Apple to be in bed with a communist, suppressive regime. People don't want that same regime's apps in our country.

 

[Wanted797]

Look at the crap Apple has been giving the EU for the past months/year over it's DMA (Digital Markets Act) requirements, they have moaned, complained, gone to court, still moaned and complained, rumoured to leave the EU if Apple was forced to comply with certain rulings and yet when China tells Apple to comply with it's rulings/law, Apple complies with nothing more than 'we comply with the law even if we disagree'. That is not exactly how Apple behaved with the EU was it. Just goes to show how important China is to Apple because when China say's 'jump' Apple replies with 'how High'. When the EU tells Apple to 'jump', Apple replies with 'F off, we'll see you in court'.

I agree with you but maybe it’s because china already had established laws.

The EU changes were exactly that. Purposed changes to be forced on their company. Of course they’re going to oppose.

 

[Surf Monkey]

If TikTok is a security risk, then just ban the app.

Forcing a company to sell their IP so some wealthy American(s) can buy it for cheap and profit from it is an entirely different thing.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/14/former-treasury-secretary-mnuchin-is-putting-together-an-investor-group-to-buy-tiktok.html

“I think the legislation should pass and I think it should be sold,” Mnuchin, who leads Liberty Strategic Capital, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday. “It’s a great business and I’m going to put together a group to buy TikTok.”

TikTok is no more or less a security risk than HUNDREDS of apps on the App Store. The only reason it gets targeted is that kids talk about it and parents get scared. Just like they did with Facebook and Twitter.

 

[zakarhino]

I don't see how the two aren't consistent. People don't want Apple to be in bed with a communist, suppressive regime. People don't want that same regime's apps in our country.

People in China are more happy with their government than Americans are with theirs. Which “people” are you talking about here? Nobody under the age of 30 (TikTok’s core demographic) cares about the 1960’s “muh oppressive communist regime” line anymore because everyone knows it’s a joke.

If banning TikTok is justified because China is “oppressive” then people in China must think banning Threads is justified because the US is even more of an oppressive regime. So why are you upset? I thought you support people removing associations with oppressive regimes?

 

[Surf Monkey]

And that's Apple's fault. Apple could have specified any country for manufacture, including the US.

But no, China was cheaper, gotta protect those profit margins at all costs, right?

How many people do you suppose Apple could sell a $5,000.00 “made in the USA” iPhone to?

 

[Chuckeee]

TikTok is no more or less a security risk than HUNDREDS of apps on the App Store. The only reason it gets targeted is that kids talk about it and parents get scared. Just like they did with Facebook and Twitter.

I’m not sure about 100’s but I totally agree that there are many many apps that are equivalent (if not larger) “security risks”.

 

[Pezimak]

No actually. For the region, the Chinese employee rights and laws are actually stronger than average, but the labour is also significantly more costly than average for the region. However, the infrastructure and availability of skilled labour is excellent, the supply chain is the best in the world, and the results are efficiently made and good quality products, at a moderate (not cheap) manufacturing price.

15 years ago in China the labour was much cheaper relatively speaking, but it is no longer 15 years ago. Pay scales have soared in China in the past 2 decades.

I don’t think Chinese employee rights equal Western ones, far from it. And whilst their pay may have increased, it is still, significantly lower then other countries otherwise Western companies wouldn’t have their goods manufactured there. It seems more political as to why some have struck deals with other nations for manufacturing. IMO.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Apple cancelled Jon Stewart’s show because of a segment Stewart wanted to do on China. Apple seems to be all about free speech until their Chinese overlords don’t approve. 🤦‍♂️

 

[211]

Yoh have the Choice to go to lagdroid. iOS shouldn’t be forced to Behave like lagdroid because you don’t want to go use an inferior Os. Making it work like it and trying to force apple to bring its software like iMessage and FaceTime to lagdroid is ridiculous.

In fact, demanding apple to bring iMessage to lagdroid when SMS has always worked, RCS is coming and there are tons of messaging apps is no different than china forcing apple to remove apps. I
Both are government overstepping.

Who is stopping you from continuing to use Apple’s apps and Store?

 

[211]

But both want regulate companies? Thats a good thing no?

Are you saying all regulation is bad?

 

[Surf Monkey]

Apple cancelled Jon Stewart’s show because of a segment Stewart wanted to do on China. Apple seems to be all about free speech until their Chinese overlords don’t approve. 🤦‍♂️

Apple has never positioned itself around free speech. Apple, as a private company, really has nothing to do with free speech. Free speech is a function of the government. A protected right in a public context. The private sector can restrict just about any speech they see fit.

 

[ppj845]

why are people upset about china dictating the terms of operating in chinese marketplace but support apple dictating the terms of operating in apple marketplace?

 

[DaPhox]

Are you saying all regulation is bad?

Yes. You cannot pick n choose.

 

[Mitochris]

People celebrating EUs control must be super excited about this too?

Am I getting this wrong or is one banning certain apps, while the other is forcing Apple to allow more? Two very different things, but sure, try to be populistic about it.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Yes. You cannot pick n choose.

That kind of absolutist statement isn’t defensible. Building codes are regulations. Should we drop those? Traffic laws are regulations. Should we drop those? “All regulations are bad” is not a realistic or serious position to take.

 

[211]

I think the main concern is the role of a government, any government, telling Apple what to do with its services.

The EU isn’t a government. Anyway, I didn't see anyone here complain about US vs. Microsoft when it came to Internet Explorer

 

[DaPhox]

Am I getting this wrong or is one banning certain apps, while the other is forcing Apple to allow more? Two very different things, but sure, try to be populistic about it.

So governmental control in 2 different countries are 2 different things? 1 is good & 1 is bad? (Thanx. Populism is a positive thing.)