Last week, China’s government forced Apple to remove four apps from the App Store in China: Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Threads. Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has since responded to the situation, claiming that Apple was the actual target of China’s request. However, several issues exist with this spin on the situation.
In a statement last week, Apple explained that it is obligated to follow the laws in the countries where it operates, including China, which cited national security concerns in its request to Apple. Apple stated that they are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where they operate and explained that the Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on national security concerns. However, these apps remain available for download on all other storefronts where they appear.
On Monday, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov took to his Telegram channel to argue that Apple, not Telegram, was the target of the Chinese government’s requests, emphasizing that Telegram is the #1 most downloaded mobile app in China on Android, according to Google Play. He went on to say that accessing Telegram requires a VPN in China, but Chinese people are smart, they like Telegram, and find a way to use it. He claims that China forced Apple to remove apps such as Telegram from its Chinese App Store, but Telegram hasn’t seen any decrease in downloads coming from China, so he doesn’t think Telegram was the main target of this change. He believes it was a move against Apple itself, specifically to force more Chinese citizens to switch from iPhones to Android smartphones produced by Chinese companies like Xiaomi.
These claims are perplexing because Telegram, Signal, and other apps are also not available via the Google Play Store or any other Android app store in China. In reality, Apple held out as long as possible before being forced by the Chinese government to remove these apps.
Durov also claims in his message that Telegram is the “#1 most downloaded mobile app in China on Android, according to Google Play” and that Telegram hasn’t seen “any decrease in downloads coming from China.” However, these claims cannot be accurate because Telegram is not available on the Google Play Store in China.
9to5Mac’s Take picked up this story earlier today, and while reading it, the lack of nuance in Durov’s messaging and in the Reuters coverage was striking. Durov argues that the Chinese government is more supportive of Android devices because they are “forcing more of their citizens to switch from iPhones to Android smartphones produced by Chinese companies.” Again, this is part of his justification for the claim that Apple, rather than Telegram, was the target of China’s decision last week.
Unlike iPhones, most Android phones allow sideloading apps outside of app stores, including the direct version of Telegram, allowing more users from China to migrate to Android. Apple, once again, shot itself in the foot with its centralized “walled garden” app policies. As a result, the iPhone market share in China will continue to shrink. Prioritizing profits over freedom for users is not a good long-term strategy.
As Durov points out, Android users can (and do) download Telegram and side-load it onto their devices. They can then access the service with a VPN. This makes Durov’s argument quite ironic when you really think about it. Android lets users side-load apps that the Chinese government is trying to ban, something the Chinese government would obviously prefer not to be possible. A closed system, not an open system, is what China wants.
Durov is correct that China wants people buying Android phones made by local manufacturers, but side-loading is not one of the reasons for that.
In conclusion, Durov’s argument that Apple was the target of China’s request to remove Telegram, Signal, WhatsApp, and Threads is flawed.
