Apple Removed 14 Apps On Takedown Orders From Indian Govt In 2022

Apple Removed 14 Apps On Takedown Orders From Indian Govt In 2022

SUMMARY

Without giving any specific reason, Apple said that apps removals were undertaken for violating local laws and community guidelines as well as for fraud

India also logged 709 appeals against app removals by Apple, with the company restoring 24 apps in response to the appeals in 2022

Overall, Apple hosted more than 17.83 Lakh apps globally on its App Store in 2022 and reviewed 61 Lakh app submissions

India accounted for the second highest number of app takedowns from Apple’s App Store in 2022. These app removals were undertaken after requests from the government. 

As per the tech major’s annual ‘2022 App Store Transparency Report’, the Indian government issued 14 app takedown requests for Apple for flouting local norms. 

Globally, Apple took down 1,474 apps from its app marketplace on orders of various governments. At 1,435, China accounted for the highest number of app removals.

“Apps may be removed from the App Store for a number of reasons, including violations of local law, repeated violations of App Store policy, fraud, and demands by regulators,” said the tech major while describing its app removal methodology.

India also logged 709 appeals against app removals by the Cupertino-based tech company last year. Consequently, Apple restored 24 apps in the country in response to the appeals in 2022. Overall, India saw the fourth highest number of app appeals and restorations last year. 

In its report, Apple said it reviewed every app on its App Store for compliance with community guidelines as well as privacy, security, and content standards. In total, the app marketplace hosted 17.83 Lakh apps globally in 2022 and reviewed 61 Lakh app submissions last year.

Apple said it terminated 28.2 Cr customer accounts during the year and had 3.69 Cr developers registered with the App Store in 2022. 

While Google-backed Play Store continues to be the undisputed market leader in the app marketplace segment in India, Apple also caters to a niche segment of high-end users. 

While 14 is still a small number, the growing takedown requests from the Indian government could have emerged over a series of reforms undertaken last year, including the union government’s efforts to block digital lending apps with links to China. 

However, the App Store continues to be an attractive bet for Apple as data-guzzling Indians continue to lead the globe in app usage and downloads. Indian users downloaded more than 28 Bn apps on their phones in 2022, ranking only behind China in terms of overall app downloads.

With the rising usage of apps, Indian authorities have also scaled up efforts to stem the alleged anti-competitive practices of foreign tech giants. 

Recently, Indian authorities were also said to be reportedly mulling new norms that would give them the power to screen major OS updates by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including Apple. In addition, the Centre has also been looking at instituting rules that will give users the choice to remove pre-installed apps on their smartphones. 

Despite the bottlenecks, Apple continues to scale its presence in India. Earlier this year, the company announced Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Autopay as a new payment option for subscription purchases on its App Store in the country. 

Its CEO Tim Cook recently landed in India for the launch of the company’s Apple Stores in Mumbai and Delhi. Cook has, on multiple instances, cited his bullishness on India and also led efforts to drastically ramp up the production of iPhones out of India. 

As per latest reports, iPhone production in the country more than tripled to $7 Bn in the financial year 2022-23 (FY23), scaling up its share in Apple’s global production to nearly 7% from 1% in 2021. 

Step up your startup journey with BHASKAR! From resources to networking, BHASKAR connects Indian innovators with everything they need to succeed. Join today to access a platform built for innovation, growth, and community.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
UNLOCK 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
UNLOCK 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

Apple Removed 14 Apps On Takedown Orders From Indian Govt In 2022-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

Apple Removed 14 Apps On Takedown Orders From Indian Govt In 2022-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

Apple Removed 14 Apps On Takedown Orders From Indian Govt In 2022-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

Apple Removed 14 Apps On Takedown Orders From Indian Govt In 2022-Inc42 Media
Apple Removed 14 Apps On Takedown Orders From Indian Govt In 2022-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company