Without warning, Apple has pulled several VK apps from the App Store in Russia, including the country’s most popular social network.
VK is a Russian technology company which runs the Mail.ru email service, VKontakte social network, VK Music service, and Youla classifieds. As The Verge reports(Opens in a new window), VK’s website posted a message(Opens in a new window) announcing that its apps had been blocked by Apple.
The message explains how the apps can no longer be downloaded by iPhone and iPad users in the country. However, if they are already installed on a device the apps should continue to function, but problems may occur with receiving notifications or in the handling of payments. There’s very little VK can do about this, but the company also stated, “we have implemented key updates to our main products that will allow applications to stay relevant for a long time.”
Apple has explained the reason for removing the apps. “These apps are being distributed by developers majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government,” said Apple spokesperson Adam Dema. “In order to comply with these sanctions, Apple terminated the developer accounts associated with these apps, and the apps cannot be downloaded from any App Store, regardless of location. Users who have already downloaded these apps may continue to use them.”
If VKontacke does stop working, VK is suggesting Russian users switch to using the mobile version which runs independently of the App Store. I suspect the mobile version could soon become the only version that works as the app version degrades over time through a lack of updates.
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Apple stopped selling its products in Russia back in March after President Putin decided to invade Ukraine. VK’s apps featured prominently on the iPhone simply because the Russian government insisted Russian-made apps were pre-installed on every smartphone. Now it seems, Russian developers will increasingly need to focus on developing web-based versions of their services that run well on phones.
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