how to download app in china Question: Q: download app from Apple Store China with Apple ID Singapore. I am a Singaporean. My Apple ID is registered in Singapore. I purchased a device in Shanghai a few days ago, which is Chinese Version. I brought it back a few days ago and installed the App on my iPhone, which is English version. (to be continued) A message pop up as follows: "This YUNMAI smart scale is Chinese version that only can connect to YUNMAI App-Chinese version. Please go to Appstore Chinese market to download it." The problem is that I could not go to Apple Store China with my Apple ID Singapore to download it. How to download VPN apps on iOS in China. Recently, Apple has removed all VPN apps from the China App Store. But there is a workaround to get these apps installed on your iOS in China! So, what can you do to download the VPN if you are in China? The answer is quite simple actually. The restriction can be bypassed by using a new iTunes account registered with a USA address. Although you can download any app without using a VPN, most of the apps that you download will require a VPN that works well in China in order to function properly. For example, the New York Times app can be downloaded without a VPN by following this method. However, the app itself will not function because the New York Times servers are blocked in China. Ok, here is how to create a brand new USA iTunes account. It’s not possible to change the country of your existing Apple ID without adding a credit card from the country you want to change to. However you can create a brand new Apple ID for any country you want without adding a credit card. In fact you can make a new account for each country’s App Store that you want to use. Just choose which account to log into depending on which Apps you need to download or update. Here are the steps I followed to create a new Apple ID for United States. Step 1 – Go to this page from a computer and create a new Apple ID with an email address that has not already been used for another Apple ID. Step 2 – On your iOS device, open the Settings and choose iTunes & App Store , then select your current account and log out. Step 3 – Open the App Store and try to download any App. When prompted, log in using your newly created iTunes account. Step 4 – You will be prompted that the Apple ID has not yet been used in the iTunes Store. Choose Review . Step 5 – Choose United States or other preferred country. Step 6 – Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this extremely long agreement and choose agree. Take a rest if your finger gets tired before you reach the bottom. It feels like about 1,000 pages. Step 7 – Under Billing Information choose None and then enter any US address and phone number. You can use this website to generate one. 2018 Update – Apple has made it more difficult to confirm your account if you are not located in the same country as the iTunes account you are trying to make. If you don’t see any option for None under billing information, then you will need to connect to a VPN in the USA and try again. If your IP address is not in USA and you are trying to make a US account, then the None option will not be there and you will need to use a credit card. If you don’t already have a VPN app installed on your device, then this can be difficult. Classic chicken and egg type problem. The solution is to connect by L2TP using the iOS built-in VPN. Check with your VPN provider for specific instructions on setting up L2TP on iOS. I know that ExpressVPN L2TP is working in China because I tested it recently, but I’m not sure whether other provider’s L2TP servers are working in China right now. Please leave a comment below if you have used L2TP in iOS in China recently.

Another option is to buy a visa gift card on Taobao and confirm your account that way. Search for “美国visa卡”, there are many sellers offering these. Step 8 – When you are finished downloading the Apps from United States App Store, just simply log out of the new account and log back into your original account if you need to download Apps from the China store which are not available on the USA app store. You can always switch between accounts to download different apps. Notes. If you have previously downloaded apps from the China App Store that have been removed, then it’s not possible to update these apps anymore. To update, you need to uninstall the app first, and then re-download it using your USA iTunes account. If you need to buy a paid app from the USA store but don’t have a US credit card, you can buy a US iTunes gift card on Taobao for a reasonable price (the link is just to the search results, not any individual seller – do your own research and buy from a reputable seller with higher sales volume). Chinese ‘app store’ lets you install pirated iPhone apps — without jailbreaking. Learn how developers and studios of every size can successfully grow their titles in one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. All the sessions from Transform 2021 are available on-demand now. Watch now. Chinese “app store” 7659.com is using Apple’s own bulk enterprise licensing technology to distributed pirated apps to Chinese iPhone and iPad users, completely free. The site, which is only available within China unless you spoof your location via a proxy server, offers a wide selection of iPhone and iPad apps. In just a few moments, I found Final Fantasy V, a $16 iPad game; Badland, a newish $4 app; Le Vamp, a $2 game for iPhone and iPad, and many others. Apple’s enterprise app deployment technology enables app distribution to an “unlimited number of iOS devices.” Essentially, enterprise app deployment enables corporations to function as their own app distributor, after getting a developer provisioning profile from Apple. That’s turned out to be a good thing for pirates in China, as over five million Chinese iPhone owners are currently using the site to find and install apps. And it seems to be a good thing for iPhone users, who are now getting free apps. It is not, however, such a good thing for Apple or for the developers who expect to be paid for those apps. Webinar. Three top investment pros open up about what it takes to get your game funded. What Apps Are Blocked in China and How to Access Them. The simplest way to be able to access apps blocked in China is without a doubt using a VPN. Click here to see the VPNs that we recommend for China! Keep on reading if you don’t know what a VPN is or what they are used for. Which apps are blocked in China? Below is a list of some of the main apps that are blocked in China: Social Media. Messaging Apps. Search Engines. Streaming Apps. Email. Other Apps. Google Maps Google Drive Dropbox Wikipedia. Apps that can’t be downloaded in China. What is a VPN and what is it used for? While there currently exist several systems for getting around the of China, using a VPN continues to be the easiest and most effective system to be able to access the Internet without restrictions. But what is a VPN? A VPN is a system that hides your IP address (your digital identifier) and encrypts your connection. Basically, the VPN redirects your Internet connection through a server located in another place. The connection between your device and the server is encrypted as it passes through them. In other words, nobody will know what you are doing online or where you are really connecting from (your IP address will be that of the server that you are connecting to and not your real IP address). This is very effective for getting around Chinese restrictions, and also will allow you to access geographically restricted content (such as that are only available in a certain country). What VPN to use in China. We have been testing VPNs in China for years, and for the moment, the VPN that we recommend is ExpressVPN for the majority of users. It’s a VPN that’s very easy to use and has proven to be one of the most reliable recently. However, if you want to see all of the VPNs that we recommend for China, you can read this article, which we update monthly, on the best VPNs for China. How to access the Internet in China from your cell phone. While many people think that the opposite is true, connecting to the Internet is really easy in China. In Chinese cities, there are a variety of places that offer free Wi-Fi for their customers, such as restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels and airports, among other places. If you want to always be connected, getting a SIM card with access to the Internet is relatively easy. All you have to do is take your passport to an authorized store of one of the country’s main telephone operators (China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom). Unless you need a large number of megabytes of data, for approximately 200 Yuan, you can buy the SIM card, access to the Internet for one month and a bit of credit for calls. How to download apps in China. in China, Google Play doesn’t work, and the Apple Store has eliminated thousands of “illegal” apps. To download apps, the easiest thing to do is to activate a VPN and use Google Play or the App Store without restrictions. However, if you don’t have a VPN active, you can still download the apps that you want. Android. To download apps in China for Android, you have a few options: Use a VPN and access Google Play without problems If the app that you want to download isn’t one of the apps banned in China, you can choose a Chinese app market to download it. Currently, the most popular app markets in China are MyApp, 360 Mobile Assistant and Baidu Mobile Assistant. Many apps allow you to download the .apk file directly from their official website (as long as the website isn’t blocked as well). Apple’s App Market works perfectly in China, which means that you can download the majority of apps directly. However, if you want to download an app that isn’t available in China, you must follow these steps: Purchase a VPN (if the website is blocked, look for the “mirror” site that works in China, such as the links that you will find on this website) Configure the VPN manually (look for instructions on how to do it on the VPN provider’s website) Connect the VPN Open the App Market Download the VPN app Disconnect the manual VPN Open the VPN app and connect it Download and use the apps that you want. Popular apps in China. The fact that many apps that are popular across the globe are blocked in China has made it so that the domestic market has developed to cover the needs of Chinese residents. Below are some of the most popular apps in China: WeChat : If you live in China, you’re making life difficult for yourself if you don’t have WeChat. WeChat is an app of all apps that is omnipresent in China. It’s a messaging app similar to WhatsApp, a social network similar to Facebook, a payment system and a blogging platform, among many other things. If you want to learn more about WeChat, you can read our complete guide to it. Baidu : Baidu is China’s main search engine, and just like Google, it has a maps app and many other services, such as listening to music and watching videos. Weibo : This is the most famous microblogging platform in China, and is halfway between Facebook and Twitter. However, since the appearance of WeChat, its popularity has decreased significantly. Alipay : This is the company Alibaba’s secure payment platform, which is similar to PayPal, but which can also be used to pay in businesses. You can read our complete guide to it by clicking here. Taobao : This is the most popular online sales platform in China, and is more complete than Amazon. Taobao belongs to the e-commerce giant Alibaba (the owner of Aliexpress). You can read more about Taobao in our complete guide. QQ : This used to be the most popular instant messaging platform in China, and is very similar to Skype. Even though it has lost a lot of users since the arrival of WeChat, it continues to be one of the most used apps. and Tencent Video : These are two of video platforms that are most used on mobile devices. You can find everything on them, from films to national and international series as well as shorts shared by users. It’s basically like YouTube but with less copyright restrictions. Kugou : This is the most popular app for downloading music to your mobile device. The big advantage of Kugou over Baidu Music is that it allows downloads even outside of Mainland China. Momo : Many people call this Tinder’s “beefed up” sibling. Momo is one of the most popular meetup apps, and has a ton of extra options to improve interactions. However, it can be a bit confusing for newbies. About Sapore di Cina. Sapore di Cina is a website that provides first-hand information about living and traveling in Asia. You can check our About Us page to learn more. How do I publish my mobile app or game in China? What do I need to provide to complete distribution? Since the process of distributing mobile apps and games in China is becoming more and more complicated, we thought it would be the perfect time to summarize the current app distribution procedures. At the moment, foreign app companies/developers have two options when it comes to distributing apps and games in China. What are the current options? Option A is to distribute your app through a local distribution service provider’s account. This option is the faster method of distribution and provides a higher likelihood of success, as Chinese app stores see local accounts as being more trustworthy, which leads to a much smoother approval process. This provider can also do many things on your behalf, making the process smoother and less work for you, answering any questions you might have and leading you through every step. Option B is to distribute your app through your own account. This option is the slower method of distribution and offers a smaller chance of success, as local app stores carry out extensive checks on foreign based accounts, which means more documentation and steps are required. Keep in mind that you must have a Chinese company or a Chinese entity in order to do this. What materials do I need? There are a few items you will need to have in advance before you submit your app to your first Chinese app store: A Chinese Company, Chinese Entity, or Distributor (Android only) Currently, foreign companies are not allowed to directly publish their apps on Chinese Android app stores. This restriction does not apply to iOS or the Apple App Store in China. All foreign app companies must either have a Chinese entity or use an authorized local distributor to publish their mobile apps and games. It’s not enough to have an office in China. Your company must be officially registered as a Chinese company or a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise in China (WFOE). If it is not, then you can simply use a service like AppInChina to publish on your behalf while still retaining full rights to your mobile app or game. Localized App APK. You will need a version of your app that is appropriate to publish in China. The interface should meet Chinese app norms, and all text should be translated to Simplified Mandarin, including on buttons and images. You also must insure that all of its user-generated data is hosted on Chinese servers, and that it does not depend on any cloud services, APIs, or SDKs or that are inaccessible behind the Great Firewall of China. Localized App Name, Description, and App Icon. Think carefully about the name you choose for your app because many app stores will require you to list the app with the same name as is registered on your SCC. If you decide to change the name in the future, you would need to go through the process of registering for a new SCC. User’s Manual For Your App. Although your app will be reviewed by government regulators, they will not actually open your app to test it. Instead, they will browse through a user’s manual to your app that you will need to provide, which will explain your app and how it functions, along with screenshots and examples. This need not be as daunting as it sounds. We recommend simply stepping through your app or game and taking a screenshot of each menu and function. Put the screenshot on one page, and on the opposite page (or below it on the same page) describe what is in the screenshot and how it works. It should be thorough, but the description need not be too long or detailed. Chinese Software Copyright Certificate (SCC) All of the major app stores require a Chinese Software Copyright Certificate (SCC). Your certificate has a serial number, and you will need to submit that valid serial number in the form on the store. Keep in mind that an SCC is not required to enjoy legal copyright protection of your software in China, but it is extremely helpful in case you need to enforce IP ownership – which is why it is nonetheless required by the Chinese app stores in order to publish your app or game on their platform. If you are not using a service like AppInChina to get the SCC, you will need the assistance of a Chinese speaker/interpreter to apply for the SCC on your own with the Copyright Protection Centre of China. The cost will be anywhere between 2200 to 3200RMB, depending on the number of documents involved. Please note you do not need to be a Chinese company to apply for an SCC, but you will need to provide a copy of your business license (both in its original language and translated into Chinese) that has been authorized by the Chinese embassy in your own country. An individual can also register with a copy of their passport and its Chinese translation. It takes about one month or less to process a SCC application. 80 pages of code. As part of the Software Copyright Certificate (SCC) registration process, you will need to submit a chunk of your app or game’s code, defined as “the first 40 pages and last 40 pages”. This is held by the government agency with your SCC to be used as evidence in case you ever need to claim someone else violated the copyright on your software. Its purpose is to protect you. Some developers are understandably leery of providing the code to their app. Keep in mind you can choose which part of your app’s code to submit. While we believe there is nothing to fear, we can offer further advice to our clients as to how to comply with this requirement while assuring the protection of their IP. Additional Documentation. Industry-specific documentation may also be requested to complete distribution depending on the app type (travel, finance, health etc.). Starting 2019, app developers and publishers must complete a Security Assessment Form in order to publish or update apps on their platforms. Game License. If your app is a game, you also must receive a game license from the National Administration of Press and Publication (NAPP). This is sometimes referred to as a Game Registration Number (GRN) or ISBN, as an ISBN number is actually issued when your game is approved. IF YOU ARE GOING SOLO… If you are not using a service like AppInChina to publish your app on your behalf, you will also need the following items: Power of Attorney Letter Chinese Business Registration Photocopy of Passport (Business registration holder) Chinese SIM Card Signed Individual App Store Development Statement/Claim Guarantee Letter. Please note that, for games, it is impossible to get a game license without being a Chinese entity. If you are not a Chinese company, or your company does not have a Chinese entity, then you will require a Chinese partner to publish your game. Submission and Review Process. Once you have all the materials in place, you will need to submit them along with your app or game’s apk to each app store you want to. Unless you use a service like AppInChina, you will need to go through this process once for each app store you submit to – there is no “blanket submission form” to cover them all. How long before I am approved? The entire process for a standard app generally takes between 1-3 months, depending on the complexity of the situation. For a game, it takes 6-12 months to receive your game license approval number. This is why it behooves you to start on this process as soon as possible. From here, you can upload your app’s apk file individually to each app store you wish to publish, along with the supporting documentation you received through this process, which will be verified by each app store prior to posting. Keep in mind each app store will have their own interface and requirements for this, and most will not have an English-language interface for you to use. This is why, for ongoing maintenance, we highly recommend publishing through a company like ours, which can provide a centralized dashboard for managing your app across all app stores, as well as English-language support as you maintain your app in China. How we can help? AppInChina can help you with all of your app and game distribution needs. We can help you procure all the necessary materials to publish your app or game to the top Chinese app stores, and you can manage it all through one-on-one contact with your personal account manager, and through our online client dashboard.