BEIJING: Google is in talks with Chinese government officials and handset makers about launching a new Android app store there, according to people familiar with matter, a move that would mark the internet company’s return to the world’s second-largest economy.
For more than a year, Google has been working on a version of its Play app store that includes only apps and services approved by the Chinese government, those people said. This app store would come installed on new smartphones made for the Chinese market that run on Google’s licensed version of Android, the people said.
One of the people said Google hopes the new phones will be available by the end of the year, though it isn’t clear if the company will hit that target. Google needs licenses from the Chinese government and it isn’t known whether those have been approved, the people said.
Google abruptly ceased most operations in mainland China in 2010 following cyberattacks against Gmail users and disagreements with the government over censorship of search results. At the time, there was debate within the company about whether Google could exert more influence by staying in China. Since then, China has become the world’s largest smartphone market, and Google rival Apple Inc. is a leading player there.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin was among the most outspoken critics of China’s government in 2010. But Mr. Brin recently stepped back from day-to-day operations, as Product Chief Sundar Pichai took on more responsibility, ahead of becoming Google’s chief executive later this year. Last year, Mr. Pichai said the company was “committed to serving the [Chinese] market the best we can.”
Google’s plans were earlier reported by technology website The Information.
Google’s Android operating system is the world’s most popular for smartphones. But the Google-licensed version of Android isn’t available in China. That has opened the door for Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi Inc. and OnePlus to create their own versions of Android and others, such as Baidu Inc., to create their own app stores, which don’t provide any revenue to Google.
Similarly, other Google services, including search and Gmail, aren’t available in China.
