After a five-year hiatus, Google Inc. is contemplating a return to China.
The company plans to launch a version of Play Store for China, in an effort to take advantage of a smartphone market with 79 percent market share for Android. The debut is expected to coincide with release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow in the fall. The Information, a technology news website, first reported Google’s deliberations on Sept. 4.
It’s an about-face for Google, which decided to exit the Chinese market in 2010 after years of concerns over censorship and security. The final straw came after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) orchestrated cyberattacks aimed at dozens of U.S. companies including defense contractors, financial organizations, and technology firms such as Google. At the time, Google’s bold decision was viewed with admiration by shareholders and other companies.
Does Google’s return to China invalidate the goodwill it received five years ago?
Yes, but it’s complicated.
To understand Google’s rationale today requires more context. While Google developed Android, the Android Open Source Project dictates that OEMs may freely use its operating system on their hardware without a licensing fee.
