Apple wants more Chinese developers to make iOS apps

June 9, 2014

Apple is making bigger efforts to improve relations with iOS developers in China. The move comes after some software companies and creators in that country have complained about a lack of support from Apple in the past.

According to Babeltime Inc co-founder Woody Wan, as recently as two years ago, there was no such effort from Apple to support iOS app makers. However, Wan now says there has been "a significant improvement" in that area. That's because Apple has not only increased its developer support but has also opened up an office in downtown Beijing for developer relations.

Apple has a vested interest in getting more developers in China to make iOS apps. The company currently ranks fifth in smartphone sales in that country, behind a number of Android-base companies, including Samsung. There's only 150,000 local iOS apps in China, compared to over one million in the U.S. market. Also, many Western made apps don't translate well in China, which furthers the need for Apple to encourage local developers to make apps for iOS.

The good news for Apple is that there are signs their increased efforts are working. China now accounts for about half of all of Apple's of app downloads, behind the U.S. China is also Apple's third biggest market in the world in terms of app revenues. Many Chinese developers find it easier to make apps for iOS compared to Android. There's also just one online store for publishing apps for iOS in China, compared to a number of third party app stores for Android.

This news comes several months after Apple started selling the iPhone via China's, and the world's, largest wireless carrier, China Mobile. Do you think Apple's efforts to please app creators in China reap big benefits and cause more iPhones and iPads to be sold in that country?

Source: Bloomberg