Final week, Apple was pressured by the Chinese language authorities to drag 4 apps from the App Retailer in China: Sign, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Threads.
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has now responded to the state of affairs, arguing that Apple was the true goal of China’s request. There are quite a lot of issues with this spin, although…
In a press release to 9to5Mac final week, Apple defined that it’s obligated to observe the legal guidelines in nations the place it operates. This consists of China, which cited nationwide safety issues in its request to Apple:
“We’re obligated to observe the legal guidelines within the nations the place we function, even after we disagree,” says Apple. “The Our on-line world Administration of China ordered the removing of those apps from the China storefront primarily based on their nationwide safety issues. These apps stay accessible for obtain on all different storefronts the place they seem.”
On Monday, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov took to his Telegram channel to argue that Apple was the goal of the Chinese language authorities’s requests, not Telegram itself. Primarily, his spin on the state of affairs boils all the way down to Apple being the dangerous guys:
Telegram is the #1 most downloaded cellular app in China on Android, based on Google Play. Entry to Telegram requires a VPN in China, however Chinese language individuals are sensible – they like Telegram and discover a manner to make use of it.
Final week, China pressured Apple to take away apps equivalent to Telegram from its Chinese language App Retailer. We haven’t seen any lower in downloads coming from China – and I don’t assume Telegram was the principle goal of this variation.
It was a transfer towards Apple itself: the Chinese language authorities are forcing extra of their residents to change from iPhones to Android smartphones produced by Chinese language firms equivalent to Xiaomi.
These claims are perplexing as a result of Telegram, Sign, and different apps are additionally not accessible by way of the Google Play Retailer or every other Android app retailer in China. In actuality, Apple held out so long as attainable earlier than in the end being pressured by the Chinese language authorities to take away these apps.
Durov additionally claims in his message that Telegram is the “#1 most downloaded cellular app in China on Android, based on Google Play.” He additional says that Telegram hasn’t seen “any lower in downloads coming from China.”
These claims, once more, can’t be true as a result of Telegram isn’t accessible on the Google Play Retailer.
9to5Mac’s Take
Reuters picked up this story earlier at the moment, and whereas studying it I used to be struck by the dearth of nuance in Durov’s messaging and within the Reuters protection.
Durov argues that the Chinese language authorities is extra supportive of Android units as a result of they’re “forcing extra of their residents to change from iPhones to Android smartphones produced by Chinese language firms.” Once more, that is a part of his justification for the declare that Apple was the goal of China’s choice final week fairly than Telegram itself.
In contrast to iPhones, most Android telephones permit sideloading apps outdoors app shops – such because the direct model of Telegram – so extra customers from China will migrate to Android.
As soon as once more, Apple shot itself within the foot with its centralized “walled backyard” app insurance policies. On account of this variation, the iPhone market share in China will maintain shrinking. Prioritizing income over freedom for customers will not be an excellent long-term technique.
As Durov factors out, it’s true that Android customers can (and do) obtain Telegram and side-load it onto their units. They’ll then entry the service with a VPN. This makes Durov’s argument fairly ironic once you actually give it some thought.
Android lets customers side-load apps that the Chinese language authorities is making an attempt to ban, one thing the Chinese language authorities would clearly desire will not be attainable. China needs a closed system, not an open system.
Durov is right that China does need folks shopping for Android telephones made by native producers, however side-loading will not be one of many causes for that.
All of this to say: Durov’s argument that Apple was the goal of China’s request to take away Telegram, Sign, WhatsApp, and Threads is nonsensical. Durov has a historical past of being ultra-critical of Apple, so I can’t say it’s stunning to see him take this stance.
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