Apple pulls Hong Kong app used by protesters after China warning
The tech giant's pulling of
Chinese state media this week tore into the
Communist Party mouthpiece The People's Daily said by stocking the app, Apple was "mixing business with politics, and even illegal acts".
On Thursday the app was no longer available on Apple's Hong Kong App Store.
"We have verified with the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau that the app has been used to target and ambush police," said a notification sent by Apple and published on the
"Criminals have used it to victimise residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement," it continued.
The online and Android versions of
'People are scared '
Hong Kong has
The city's once-respected police force has become the target of anger over what demonstrators say is excessive violence, that has included the use of live rounds to quell unrest.
Hong Kongers took to social media to protest the removal.
"Many people
"Does Apple know it has the function to protect personal safety?"
And a user on the Reddit-like forum LIHKG said: "The app
Apple's decision comes after the tech giant earlier this week removed the Taiwan flag emoji from its iOS 13 update for users in Hong Kong and Macau. The emoji was available on phones
News organisation Quartz said also
Quartz told The Verge website it believes the ban was
China accounts for around a sixth of Apple's overall
But the Silicon Valley giant has struggled in recent years, lagging
The iPhone manufacturer had the fifth biggest market share in the country in the second quarter at 6.7 percent, well behind leader Huawei and other domestic companies, according to data from the Chinese-owned International Data Corporation.
No dissent
The tech company joins a long list of international brands that have fallen foul of China's increasingly nationalist consumer base, who brook no dissent from the official Communist Party line on issues ranging from Hong Kong to Taiwan to Xinjiang.
The highest profile spat this week has seen Chinese broadcasters yank pre-season basketball games after the Houston Rockets manager tweeted his support for Hong Kong.
Corporate sponsors abandoned the team, despite apologies from figures including megastar James Harden.
After an initial
New York-based Tiffany removed an advert showing a woman covering one eye after Chinese consumers accused the jeweller of supporting protesters by referencing a well-known injury.
Footwear brand Vans pulled two entries from an online design competition which featured motifs of the demonstrations.
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