Chinese and Korean Phone Giants Strike Deal to Pre-Install Russia’s State-Backed Max App

Tech titans from China and Korea just handed Russia a major digital victory—pre-installing state-backed Max on devices hitting one of the world's most contested markets.

Strategic Surge Eastward

Moscow's push for technological sovereignty just got a hardware boost. Major smartphone manufacturers—reportedly including top Chinese and Korean brands—are now embedding Max directly into their devices. No downloads, no sideloading, just instant access straight out of the box.

Soft Power, Hard Install

This isn’t just pre-loading an app—it’s a geopolitical nod wrapped in code. With Western platforms largely absent, Max fills the void, offering state-approved content, services, and maybe a little digital influence. For manufacturers, it’s market access; for the Kremlin, it’s control.

Finance Angle: Because Nothing Says ‘Growth’ Like State-Mandated Adoption

Let’s be real—this kind of ‘partnership’ doesn’t need a term sheet. It’s the kind of deal where the ROI is measured in geopolitical leverage, not revenue. Wall Street would call it ‘non-dilutive.’ Everyone else calls it compliance.

Bottom line: When tech and policy merge, convenience comes with conditions. And in Russia’s digital playbook, pre-installed isn’t just a feature—it’s a statement.

Samsung, Xiaomi reportedly ready to add Max to phones in Russia

Some of the world’s leading brands in the electronics market are yet to officially confirm that Max will be present on their devices upon sale in Russia, but they have already agreed to that, the official Russian news agency TASS unveiled, citing representatives of the industry.

South Korea’s Samsung is prepared to pre-install the Russian messenger on smartphones and tablets offered in the Russian Federation, the sources said.

Major Chinese makers, including Xiaomi, Honor, Huawei, Tecno, and Infinix, have also “promised to make every effort to ensure this is done.”

The report comes after the Russian government announced that Max will be pre-installed on all devices sold in the country.

The app described by Russian officials as the “national messenger” will be added to Russia’s mandatory list of applications starting from September 1, 2025.

Max is replacing the VK Messenger, which has been on the list since 2023. Max is also developed by the popular Russian social media network VK, formerly known as Vkontakte.

One of the sources quoted by TASS elaborated on two possible options currently being considered by the manufacturers for its integration. This can be done either “through software updates” or by prompting users to install the messenger as soon as they insert a Russian SIM card into their device.

Both the South Korean giant and the Chinese companies are yet to file official documentation confirming Max will be pre-installed, the news agency noted.

Samsung declined to comment on the matter, as did major Russian telecom operators MTS, Beeline, and MegaFon, which sell their devices in the country.

Russia imposes Max at the expense of Telegram and WhatsApp

Max is actually a whole platform for digital services that includes the messenger with the same name. The latter offers various communication features such as chats, audio and video calls, voice messaging, transfer of files and money.

At the end of June, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law to establish a Russian messenger similar to apps offered by foreign providers, such as Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber, that have over the years gained significant popularity among Russian users.

Russia’s Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadayev revealed earlier that the new service will be based on VK’s Max platform. The networking service was co-founded by Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov almost two decades ago.

Durov, who was also VK’s CEO, sold his stake and left Russia in 2014, alleging the company had been taken over by Putin allies. He had previously rejected requests to censor VK accounts of both Russian and Ukrainian protestors.

The Russian-born tech entrepreneur later clashed with Moscow’s law enforcement agencies over his refusal to share access to the correspondence of Telegram users allegedly suspected of crimes and terrorist activities.

In mid-July, Russian media claimed Telegram is setting up an office in Russia to comply with the requirements of its so-called “landing law.” Durov has denied this information as well as earlier reports suggesting his messenger is exiting the Russian market.

In June, Russian lawmaker Anton Gorelkin accused Telegram of non-compliance with the legislation, calling it “an entity that worries the state” and adding that Russia had decided to compete with it by launching a “national messenger.”

Last Thursday, the Russian government announced that Max will be pre-installed on all phones in Russia, as reported by Cryptopolitan. Critics have raised concerns that Moscow may use it as a surveillance tool.

Meta’s WhatsApp had earlier complained that Russia is cracking down on encrypted communication by attempting to block calls on its platform.

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