Google Play App Store To Be Launched In China: Report

Google is expected to launch a version of its Google Play app store in China, according to a report from The Information, which also said that the launch of the app store in China will help Google access new users who account for about half of the demand for the company’s Android mobile operating system.

The Mountain View, California-based search engine giant has been trying to distribute its app store with phone manufacturers and other potential partners in China, The Information reported. The launch of the Google Play app store in the Asian country “would be a remarkable turn of events” amid the tensions between the company and the Chinese government over hacking allegations, the report said.

Google left China in 2010, claiming that it had been targeted by multiple hacking attempts. The company also cited a potential loss of intellectual property and censorship at the time of its departure from the Chinese market, Reuters reported, adding that some of Google’s web services are currently blocked in China.

However, The Information also said in the report that it is unclear whether the Chinese government will allow Google to launch the app store. The company, which is said to be seeking to collaborate with a local partner, has reportedly approached Huawei Technologies and ZTE for a potential alliance.