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Six times Apple gave in to China
Hiding the Taiwan flag emoji is just one way Apple makes changes for China
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
Update: Since we originally published this story, Apple reversed its stance again and removed an app that shows protests and police in Hong Kong. We've updated this story from "four times" to "six times" to reflect that app and the Taiwan flag emoji.
Apple is coming under fire again for its stance on China.
The company reversed its decision to allow HKmap.live into the iOS App Store in Hong Kong, claiming that the map breaks its policies by endangering law enforcement -- something denied by the app's developer and supporters, who say it helps ordinary people avoid trouble spots.
Since Apple's latest U-turn came after criticism from state media, it's sparked accusations that the company is capitulating to the Chinese government, which has recently become a hot topic. But if that’s the case, it won’t be the first time Apple has done it. Here are six times Apple has given in to government demands in China.
Hong Kong protest map app rejected
The saga of HKmap.live has been rolling for a while now. Apple repeatedly rejected the app for a variety of reasons at first, among them that the app "allowed users to evade law enforcement." The reasoning was odd, given that Apple allows Waze into the App Store -- a popular app that actively boasts that it can be used to avoid the police.
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