Apple pulls WhatsApp, Threads from China App Store following state order

WhatsApp and Threads were removed from Apple's App Store in China following a government order. The Cyberspace Administration of China cited national security concerns as the reason for the removal of these apps from the China storefront.

According to Reuters, Signal and Telegram have also been removed from Apple's App Store in China. This information is supported by data from app tracking firms Qimai and AppMagic. The AppleCensorship site, which monitors App Store removals, has recorded both Signal and Telegram as having been 'disappeared' from Apple’s mainland China App Store. However, Apple has not confirmed these two additional removals.

Yes, Apple has a history of removing apps from its China App Store due to government regulations. Examples include:

• Generative AI apps removed before Chinese regulations on generative AI took effect.
• Damus, a Twitter alternative, pulled shortly after approval.
• Clubhouse, an audio social networking app, removed after its global release.
• Various apps for censorship circumvention, including VPNs, RSS apps, podcast apps, and even a Quran app.

The encryption features differ among these apps:

• WhatsApp is an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging app.
• Telegram offers both private messaging and one-to-many broadcast features, but E2EE is only available for 'secret chats' and is not the default setting.
• Signal provides industry gold-standard E2EE across all aspects of its app, ensuring secure communication.

Threads was blocked by China's Great Firewall, and despite its popularity, it was likely targeted by state censors due to its visibility. Being in the top 5 on Apple’s China App Store last summer made it more likely to catch the attention of China’s state censors, which could have encouraged them to take additional action to clamp down on usage, such as ordering Apple to remove the software from its store.