Apple has removed two popular gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, from its iOS App Store in China, following an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
The apps vanished over the weekend, prompting reports of their sudden disappearance.
In a statement to CNBC, Apple confirmed the action, saying it must comply with local laws in the countries where it operates.
“Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only,” the company said.
It noted that the apps were already unavailable in other countries.
However, a “lite” version of Blued remains downloadable on the China App Store, CNBC verified on Tuesday.
The Wire first reported Apple’s compliance with Beijing’s directive.
This move marks the latest in China’s ongoing crackdown on app stores.
In 2022, U.S.-based Grindr was pulled from the iOS store shortly after regulators targeted illegal and inappropriate content.
In 2023, new rules required all apps serving local users to register with the government and obtain licenses, leading to removals of various foreign apps.
Regulators have continued urging companies like Apple to delete apps over content concerns.
In April 2024, Apple removed Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads from iOS in China, citing national security issues raised by the administration.
China remains Apple’s biggest overseas market after the U.S., influencing its compliance.
The removal of Blued and Finka also signals tighter controls on LGBTQ content, amid closures of groups like the Beijing LGBT Center in recent years.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in China in 1997, but same-sex marriage is not recognised.
