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Users are mad about this change to the iPhone in China
CallKit lets users answer calls from apps directly through the main Phone app
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
Ever noticed how the iPhone now treats calls equally, whether they’re from Skype, WhatsApp or an actual telephone? Thanks to a little piece of software known as CallKit, no matter how someone calls you, it looks and behaves exactly the same way -- allowing you to answer and start speaking without having to open the appropriate app.
That feature is going away in China, and users are not happy about it.
Chinese media report that some developers say they’ve been notified by Apple to remove CallKit from all apps available on the App Store in China, citing an order from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
In the the past, China has cracked down on apps that allow users to chat confidentially or get around the country’s firewall. Skype is already banned in China, and WhatsApp, which uses end-to-end encryption, has experienced frequent service interruptions there.
But this appears to be different. If anything, CallKit can actually leave some data out in the open. Information on who you called and how long the call lasted is recorded on the iPhone’s call log -- and, for those who opt in, synced to iCloud.
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