The good news is the Apple News app is out and doing well.
The bad news is that Apple has apparently chosen to block it in the Chinese marketplace.
A source has confirmed that Apple the company has blocked users in China from accessing Apple News, which offers an iOS-optimized way to read stories from around the web.
This is not completely new, as tech companies are typically required to censor the media available in their apps to hew to China’s demands. If not, they risk being cut off by the so-called “Great Firewall of China”, like Facebook and Twitter. In this case, Apple, which sees China as a massive market for new iPhone sales, is itself blocking people in the country from accessing Apple News.
Hong Kong entrepreneur Larry Salibra noticed the block on Apple News earlier this week when traveling in the mainland. He was able to deduce that Apple is blocking access to the app based on which carrier the phone connects to. Use a Chinese carrier, and the app is shut down, whether or not you have location services enabled on the phone.
Although Apple News has only launched in the U.S. to date, those who have activated their phones with American localization are able to retain access while they travel. Now that Apple News is shut down in China, however, you’ll have to get your news another way if you’re vacationing on the mainland.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via The Verge and the New York Times