Android Market is now accessible in China after the app store had been blocked and lagging for many phone owners in the country,as we reported earlier this week.
Despite the speculation, the issues were not the result of censorship from the Chinese government according to the explanation put forward by Google.
“We identified a technical issue during a software update and have now fixed it,” Google spokesman Taj Meadows wrote in an e-mailpublished on CNET.
The Android app store is one of many Google sites to experience regular access issues in China, so the return to normality is not a complete surprise but you can never be sure when it comes to China’s Great Firewall.
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All manner of theories for the blockage had emerged this week, ranging from it being China’s response to Google allowing theDalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to connect via Google+, to a move to benefit Baidu’s upcomingQiushi mobile operating systemat the expense of Google Android.
The unblock is good news for Google and Android, however the vast majority of Android apps in China will continue to come fromlocal, unofficial app storiesin the country.
Story byJon Russell
Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him on T(show all)Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him onTwitter,Angel List,LinkedIn.
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