App Distribution in China 101: What You Need to Know and How to Do It

Introduction

China is one of the largest and fastest-growing app markets in the world. According to Statista, China had over 1.6 billion mobile internet users and over 4.2 million mobile apps as of June 2020. The revenue from mobile apps in China is expected to reach $51.5 billion in 2021, making it the second-largest app market after the US.

However, distributing an app in China is not as simple as uploading it to Google Play or Apple App Store. China has a unique and complex app ecosystem that poses many challenges and opportunities for app developers and publishers. Some of these challenges include:

• The Great Firewall of China, which blocks access to many foreign websites and services, including Google Play, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more.
• The strict and changing regulations and policies of the Chinese government, which require app developers and publishers to obtain various licenses and certificates, such as the Software Copyright Certificate (SCC), the Internet Content Provider (ICP) license, the Network Access License (NAL), and more.
• The fragmentation and competition of the Chinese app market, which consists of hundreds of third-party app stores, each with its own rules, standards, and user preferences.
• The cultural and linguistic differences between China and other markets, which require app developers and publishers to localize their apps for the Chinese audience, such as translating the app interface and content into Simplified Chinese, integrating with popular Chinese social media platforms, and adapting to the local user behavior and expectations.

To succeed in distributing an app in China, app developers and publishers need to understand and adapt to these challenges and opportunities. In this post, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to distribute your app in China. We will cover the following topics:

• The different channels and platforms for distributing an app in China
• The advantages and disadvantages of each channel and platform
• The best practices and tips on how to optimize your app for each channel and platform

By the end of this post, you will have a clear idea of how to distribute your app in China effectively and efficiently.

Third-party app stores

One of the most common and popular ways to distribute an app in China is through third-party app stores. These are app stores that are not owned or operated by smartphone manufacturers, but by other companies or platforms. In the vacuum left behind by Google Play after it exited China in 2010, hundreds of third-party Android app stores sprouted up. Now, however, it has been narrowed down to about six major stores: 360 Market, Baidu-owned 91 Wireless, UCWeb, Tencent’s MyApp, Xiaomi’s Mi Market, and Wandoujia.

The advantages of using third-party app stores are:

• They have a large and diverse user base, covering different regions, demographics, and preferences.
• They offer various marketing and monetization opportunities, such as app ranking, promotion, advertising, in-app purchase, etc.
• They provide technical and operational support, such as app testing, security, analytics, feedback, etc.

The disadvantages of using third-party app stores are:

• They have different and changing requirements and standards for app submission and approval, which can be time-consuming and confusing.
• They have high competition and low user loyalty, which means that users may switch between different app stores or uninstall apps easily.
• They have low transparency and quality control, which means that there may be issues with app piracy, fraud, malware, etc.

Some tips on how to optimize your app for third-party app stores are:

• Research and select the most suitable app stores for your app based on your target audience, category, and goals.
• Localize your app name, description, icon, screenshots, and keywords for each app store using Simplified Chinese and relevant terms.
• Integrate with popular Chinese social media platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, QQ, etc. to enable app login, sharing, and promotion.
• Update your app frequently and respond to user feedback and ratings promptly and politely.

GDSA

Another way to distribute an app in China is through GDSA, which stands for Global Developer Service Alliance. GDSA is a fairly new collective that aims to provide a unified platform for app developers to target app users in China and other regions. It was launched in 2020 by four major smartphone manufacturers: Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.

The benefits of using GDSA are:

• It allows app developers to access a large and growing user base across different devices and markets, especially in China where these smartphone brands have a strong presence.
• It offers various services similar to Google Play Store such as brand awareness, monetization strategies, content management, and user feedback for the published apps.
• It simplifies the app submission and approval process by providing a single entry point and a standardized set of requirements and guidelines.

The limitations of using GDSA are:

• It is still a relatively new and unproven platform that may face technical and operational challenges, such as compatibility issues, quality assurance, user retention, etc.
• It may face regulatory and legal hurdles from the Chinese government or other authorities, especially regarding data privacy and security, intellectual property rights, etc.
• It may face competition and resistance from other app stores or platforms that have established relationships and trust with app developers and users.

Some examples of successful apps that use GDSA are:

• TikTok: a popular short video app that has over 600 million daily active users in China and over 2 billion downloads worldwide.
• PUBG Mobile: a popular online multiplayer battle royale game that has over 50 million daily active users in China and over 1 billion downloads worldwide.
• Spotify: a popular music streaming app that has over 365 million monthly active users and over 165 million premium subscribers worldwide.

Website downloads

Another way to distribute an app in China is through website downloads. This means that app developers can create and host an APK file for their app on their own website or a third-party website, and allow users to download and install it directly from there.

The pros of using website downloads are:

• It bypasses the app store submission and approval process, which can save time and hassle.
• It gives app developers more control and flexibility over their app distribution and updates, without being subject to app store policies or fees.
• It can reach users who do not have access to app stores or prefer to download apps from other sources.

The cons of using website downloads are:

• It requires app developers to have their own website or use a reliable third-party website that can handle the traffic and bandwidth of app downloads.
• It exposes app developers and users to more security risks, such as malware, phishing, hacking, etc., as there is no app store verification or protection.
• It reduces app visibility and discoverability, as users have to find the app download link through other means, such as search engines, social media, word-of-mouth, etc.

Some best practices on how to promote and secure your website downloads are:

• Use a reputable domain name and SSL certificate for your website to ensure its credibility and security.
• Optimize your website for mobile devices and search engines to improve its user experience and ranking.
• Provide clear and accurate information about your app, such as its features, benefits, screenshots, reviews, etc., to attract and persuade users to download it.
• Use QR codes or short URLs to make it easier for users to access your app download link from different channels.
• Implement security measures such as encryption, authentication, code signing, etc., to protect your app from tampering or unauthorized distribution.

Progressive web app

Another way to distribute an app in China is through a progressive web app, or PWA. A PWA is a web app that uses modern web technologies and standards to deliver an app-like experience to users. A PWA can be accessed through any web browser, but it can also be installed on the user's device and run as a standalone app.

The advantages of using a PWA are:

• It combines the best of both web and native apps, such as fast loading, offline access, push notifications, home screen icon, etc.
• It does not require app store submission or approval, which can save time and hassle.
• It can reach a wide range of users across different devices and platforms, without requiring separate development or maintenance.

The challenges of using a PWA are:

• It may not be able to access some device features or APIs that are only available for native apps, such as camera, fingerprint scanner, NFC, etc.
• It may face compatibility or performance issues with some browsers or devices that do not fully support PWA features or standards.
• It may have lower user awareness or engagement than native apps, as users may not be familiar with the concept or benefits of PWAs.

Some guidelines on how to design and develop a PWA for China are:

• Use a web app manifest to define your app's name, icon, theme color, orientation, display mode, etc.
• Use a service worker to enable your app to work offline, cache resources, handle network requests, etc.
• Use responsive web design to adapt your app's layout and content to different screen sizes and orientations.
• Use progressive enhancement to provide a basic functionality for all users and enhance it with additional features for users with capable browsers or devices.
• Use web push notifications to re-engage users with timely and relevant messages.

Conclusion

In this post, we have provided you with a comprehensive guide on how to distribute your app in China. We have covered the following topics:

• The different channels and platforms for distributing an app in China, such as third-party app stores, GDSA, website downloads, and progressive web apps.
• The advantages and disadvantages of each channel and platform, as well as the best practices and tips on how to optimize your app for each channel and platform.

We hope that this post has helped you understand and adapt to the unique and complex app ecosystem in China. By choosing the right channel and platform for your app, you can reach a large and growing user base, increase your app visibility and discoverability, and enhance your app performance and security.

If you need further assistance or guidance on how to distribute your app in China, you can check out some of the following resources or contact us for more information:

• NextAppMarket: a leading platform that helps foreign app developers and publishers enter the Chinese app market.
• China Internet Watch: a website that provides insights and analysis on the latest trends and developments in China's internet industry.
• PWA Stats: a website that showcases successful case studies and statistics of progressive web apps around the world.

Thank you for reading this post and good luck with your app distribution in China.

Published at November 2nd, 2022