It was around 2010 when Google chose to withdraw efforts to have a presence in China, abandoning a potentially huge market for its products due to concerns of cyberattacks and government censorship of internet content. It was a calculated risk, but one made to assert Google’s commitment to internet freedom. And even then, China is still home to numerous gadget manufacturers that put out devices that use Google’s Android ecosystem. As China’s lucrative growing market continues to draw companies in, would Google finally eat its humble pie and come crawling back?
China’s internet policies have not had any major changes over the past few years, and yet Google cannot deny the power of a ginormous market for technology that China has. Apple already bought into the Chinese market, selling its iPhones and iPads in the country, as well as allowing for a government-censored App Store. To get a piece of this growing market, Google will have to bring itself back to the country and establish the Google Play Store, or whatever version of it the government allows for.
And therein lies the current problem for Google – they abandoned China and the country wasn’t particularly happy about that decision. Google will need the help of businesses and manufacturers to help bring it back into the country. Huawei, Google’s rumored partner for its new Nexus 6 phone, could start bundling the Google Play Store again with its products. But these companies will need incentives from Google – something that the mothership will realize is a price they have to pay.
Rumors say that the government will only allow the Play Store in China if Google will agree to block apps that the Chinese government doesn’t approve of. It doesn’t look like Google has any choice there. But rumors also say that Google is looking at a launch of the Play Store in the country by fall this year, and that the software they will be launching will only work with Android Marshmallow, Google’s upcoming version of Android.
VIA: The Information
