Russia order state-backed MAX, WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones, tablets(reuters.com)
reuters.com
Russia order state-backed MAX, WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones, tablets
https://www.reuters.com/technology/russia-orders-state-backed-max-messenger-app-whatsapp-rival-pre-installed-phones-2025-08-21/
8 comments
Last time I checked, Facebook also comes installed on all smartphones, including Chinese makers. If you remove the app, there are still 3 more hidden services.
This might come in handy, if you loose car keys or your wedding ring, you just call FB, they will tell you where they are.
But it only takes to have an ios or android. Google will 100% know where you are, who you talk to and what you do. What does it matter Russia does it or China? It is the same thing.
Well Google already knows that even if you dont have a computer on the pocket.
Its basically a government spyware. Perhaps you can compare it with WeChat but you can't really compare it to FB or Google because the political regimes are different in the US vs China & Russia. All the other conclusions can be drawn from this point.
They're also ordering their domestic app store RuStore to be preinstalled making them the 6th to require third party app stores on iPhone, following Japan (December), Brazil (October) and Australia (TBD from a recent ruling) the UK (TBD from a recent law) and the European Union since about a year ago.
Tired: advocating for independent third party app stores on behalf of users
Wired: advocating for state-owned third party app stores on behalf of Big Brother
I’m sure there are even groups who would say that all app stores should be state-run, but I think the jokes write themselves in such a scenario, and they’re generally less funny, so I can’t really lampoon it as well as I’d like.
I’d be happy with APT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APT_(software)
Instead we got APT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_persistent_threat
Wired: advocating for state-owned third party app stores on behalf of Big Brother
I’m sure there are even groups who would say that all app stores should be state-run, but I think the jokes write themselves in such a scenario, and they’re generally less funny, so I can’t really lampoon it as well as I’d like.
I’d be happy with APT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APT_(software)
Instead we got APT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_persistent_threat
The first-party App Store was the state-owned one all along:
https://www.macworld.com/article/230330/apple-in-china-why-t...
https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2024/12/26/apple-defends-re...
Apple's treatment of their users in censored or oppressed jurisdictions should make them demand sideloading.
https://www.macworld.com/article/230330/apple-in-china-why-t...
https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2024/12/26/apple-defends-re...
Apple's treatment of their users in censored or oppressed jurisdictions should make them demand sideloading.
First party is just state-owned with extra steps.
> Apple's treatment of their users in censored or oppressed jurisdictions should make them demand sideloading.
Sure, but once third party state-owned app stores are mandated, the whole handset is pre-owned. I don’t see how the slippery slope of allowing sideloading doesn’t slide to become a case of mandated state-owned pre-installs, because the only reason any state would want to own and operate an app store is because they want the power of first party app stores, and of their foreign jurisdictions, that they don’t currently have.
Most states don’t want you to sideload any more than you already do, because it doesn’t legibly generate GDP.
When every view is warped by the lens of “number go up” the myopia of states comes into focus. It becomes clear why folks cut their nose off to spite their face, because they can’t see past the tip of their nose.
(I don’t mean you, but I don’t know that sideloading will save us. I still think it’s better for many consumers, but I would hesitate to say most.)
> Apple's treatment of their users in censored or oppressed jurisdictions should make them demand sideloading.
Sure, but once third party state-owned app stores are mandated, the whole handset is pre-owned. I don’t see how the slippery slope of allowing sideloading doesn’t slide to become a case of mandated state-owned pre-installs, because the only reason any state would want to own and operate an app store is because they want the power of first party app stores, and of their foreign jurisdictions, that they don’t currently have.
Most states don’t want you to sideload any more than you already do, because it doesn’t legibly generate GDP.
When every view is warped by the lens of “number go up” the myopia of states comes into focus. It becomes clear why folks cut their nose off to spite their face, because they can’t see past the tip of their nose.
(I don’t mean you, but I don’t know that sideloading will save us. I still think it’s better for many consumers, but I would hesitate to say most.)
Title edited for length:
> Russia orders state-backed MAX messenger app, a WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones and tablets
> Russia orders state-backed MAX messenger app, a WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones and tablets