Apple (AAPL) Stock Feels Heat as China Orders Removal of Gay Dating Apps

Beijing flexes regulatory muscle—again—as LGBTQ+ apps vanish from China's App Store overnight.

Investors shrug (for now): AAPL shares show minimal movement despite fresh censorship storm.

Tech giants walk tightrope: Apple's 'values vs. market access' dilemma gets sharper by the quarter.

Bonus cynicism: Nothing boosts shareholder value like quietly complying with authoritarian regimes.

TLDR

• Apple removed gay dating apps Blued and Finka from the Chinese iOS store following orders from the Cyberspace Administration of China
• A “lite” version of Blued remains available on the China App Store
• The removal follows China’s ongoing crackdown on app stores, with similar actions taken against WhatsApp, Threads, and Grindr in recent years
• China requires all apps serving local users to register with the government and receive licenses
• Apple stock has risen following strong Q4 earnings, with iPhone 17 series demand and Services revenue performing well

Apple confirmed it removed two popular gay dating apps from its Chinese iOS store after receiving orders from the country’s internet regulator. The tech giant pulled Blued and Finka from the platform over the weekend.

Apple Inc., AAPL

The Cupertino-based company stated it must follow local laws where it operates. “Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only,” Apple said in a statement to CNBC.

A “lite” version of the Blued app remains available for download on the China App Store as of Tuesday. The apps had already been unavailable in other countries before this action.

China’s Growing App Restrictions

The removal marks another step in China’s expanding control over digital platforms. Grindr, a U.S.-based gay dating app, was pulled from the iOS store in 2022 when Chinese authorities crackdown on content they deemed illegal or inappropriate.

In 2023, Beijing implemented new policies requiring all apps serving Chinese users to register with the government and obtain licenses. This led to a wave of foreign apps being removed from iOS in the country.

Apple removed Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads from its Chinese store in April 2024 following a CAC order citing national security concerns. China represents Apple’s largest overseas market outside the United States.

The takedown likely reflects increasing restrictions on LGBTQ content in China. The government has closed major advocacy groups in recent years, including the Beijing LGBT Center.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997. Same-sex marriage remains unrecognized in the country.

Recent Stock Performance

Apple stock has continued its upward trajectory following strong Q4 earnings. The company reported better-than-expected demand for the iPhone 17 series and record Services revenue.

The stock trades at a P/E multiple of 40.4 with revenue growth of 6.0% over the last twelve months. Apple maintains a free cash FLOW margin of 23.5% and an operating margin of 31.9%.

Investors are watching Apple’s AI initiatives, particularly the “Apple Intelligence” program and privacy-focused on-device AI capabilities. India is projected to become Apple’s third-largest market by 2026, with anticipated production value of $28 billion in FY26.