national regulations Archives

AppWizard

April 7, 2026

Apple removes Jack Dorsey’s P2P messenger Bitchat from China App Store

Apple has removed Jack Dorsey's decentralized peer-to-peer messaging service, Bitchat, from its China App Store following a request from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). The app's beta version was also suspended in the region. Dorsey confirmed that Bitchat was removed in February, and Apple stated that all apps must comply with local laws and regulations. The CAC noted that Bitchat violated regulations requiring online services that can influence public opinion to undergo a security assessment. Bitchat remains available in other countries, with over 3 million downloads on Chrome and more than 1 million on Google Play.

AppWizard

October 8, 2025

The Indian messaging app that wants to take on WhatsApp

The Indian messaging app Arattai, developed by Zoho, has gained seven million downloads in a week, a significant increase from fewer than 10,000 downloads in August. This surge is attributed to the Indian government's promotion of self-reliance and homegrown products, with endorsements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and federal minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Arattai's daily sign-ups rose from 3,000 to 350,000 within three days of the government's support. Despite its initial success, Arattai faces competition from WhatsApp, which has around 500 million monthly active users in India. While Arattai offers similar features to WhatsApp, challenges include retaining users beyond initial downloads, concerns about data privacy, and compliance with Indian regulations. Arattai currently provides end-to-end encryption for voice and video calls, but not for text messages; however, it is working to implement this feature. User trust and clarity regarding data privacy will be critical for Arattai's sustained success in a competitive market.

AppWizard

April 24, 2024

Apple pulls WhatsApp and Threads from App Store on Beijing’s orders

Apple has complied with the Chinese government's demands to remove Meta's WhatsApp and Threads apps from its App Store in China due to national security concerns. Despite facing challenges in the Chinese market, Apple is strategically expanding its manufacturing footprint beyond China and has been engaging with Southeast Asian leaders to strengthen partnerships and investments in the region.