Over the weekend, Tim Cook confirmed that Apple Vision Pro will launch in China later this year. The Information now reports that Apple has reached a key deal with Tencent to make a number of China’s most popular apps available on Vision Pro.
The report also makes mention that Apple is “pursuing” ways to launch its own content services, like Apple TV+, in China.
According to the report, Tencent has agreed to “make some of its most important apps available” on Vision Pro when it launches later this year. Tencent makes a number of the top apps in China, ranging from social media to streaming to gaming.
More details about Tencent’s plans for Vision Pro are unclear. For instance, there’s no word on whether the company is planning native Vision Pro apps, or is planning to allow Vision Pro users to run its iPad apps on the device.
The Information also reports that Apple is ramping up its efforts to launch its own subscription services, like Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade, in China. Due to China’s censorship rules, Apple would “need to find a local partner to help run” the services and ensure compliance with those rules. The report says that a “senior China-based Apple leader last year told colleagues the company was pursuing such an arrangement, but it isn’t clear how close it got to a deal.”
Apple has also expanded its teams in China working on existing subscription services, such as iCloud and Apple Music:
Apple hasn’t launched any subscription or media services in China since 2017 because it has faced rising government restrictions on its existing businesses, such as iCloud. But there are signs the company is renewing its push to get new services, such as Apple Arcade, its game subscription service, and Fitness+, a workout video subscription, into China. Apple in recent years has bolstered its team responsible for subscription services like iCloud+ and Apple Music in the country, recruiting Chinese executives with experience at domestic firms including Meitu, Weibo and Tencent to scout for potential Chinese partners, according to people who have worked with them.
Notably, Apple CEO Tim Cook is in China this month visiting with some of the country’s top figures.
More on Tim Cook’s visit to China this week:
