Apple blocks mainland Chinese users from seeing some geographic information on its Compass app

Apple has stopped showing mainland Chinese users certain geographic information on the latest version of its Compass app, a move that some users speculate could be linked to Beijing’s stricter approach to data privacy.

iPhone and Apple Watch users in China can no longer see their geographic coordinates and elevation on the Compass app, according to Chinese media reports and user comments. However, information including bearings and general location are still available.

The changes came with Apple’s latest software updates, including iOS 15.1, which was released in China in late October, and watchOS 8.3, released this week.

It is not clear why the information is no longer available for mainland Chinese users. On the community discussion page of Apple’s official Chinese website, a question about whether the change was due to Chinese government policy or because of a bug, posted in late October, received 269 upvotes.

On Zhihu, China’s Quora-like Q&A platform, a comment on the change drew more than 900,000 views and 105 replies, with some users pledging to put off updating their devices because of this, and some speculating that it has to do with the Chinese government’s restrictions on the use of geographic information.

Under China’s Surveying and Mapping law, first enacted in 2002, foreign Organisations need to acquire a licence from the State Council and the Chinese military, and cooperate with a Chinese entity, before “engaging in surveying and mapping activities”.

A revised version of the law introduced in 2017 includes clauses that require the government to enhance scrutiny of internet mapping services.

On iPhones sold in mainland China, Apple’s built-in map app pulls mapping data from AutoNavi, an Alibaba-owned navigation service. Alibaba also owns the South China Morning Post.

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In Apple’s current user guide for the Compass app, available on its Chinese website, the company noted that geographic coordinates and elevation are not available in certain countries and regions, without elaborating or mentioning mainland China.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company has come under fire for its censorship in mainland China, which it cites as necessary to be in compliance with local laws and regulations.

In 2016, Apple closed its iBooks and iTunes Movies stores in mainland China, and since then has actively removed virtual private network (VPN) apps, which netizens use to skirt the Great Firewall.