How safe is Remove China Apps? Will it impact OS of Chinese smartphones? We asked an expert (Express photo: Sneha Saha)
With over 1 million downloads, the Remove China Apps application developed by Jaipur-based startup OneTouchAppLabs has become the top free app on Google Play Store in just 10 days. As the name suggests, the app allows users to delete all applications developed in China. It scans the user’s phone and lists the apps developed in China. After this, the user can decide which app to keep and which to remove.
Satyajit Sinha, cyber security researcher at Counterpoint, explains that the Remove China Apps app just identifies the app developer’s country of origin by comparing it with the repository database of apps developed in China.
Sinha says the app is safe to use and one shouldn’t worry about downloading it on their Android smartphone. “The app scan focused on the installed android application package (APK) only. Hence, it doesn’t affect any change in stored personal data,” he explains to indianexpress.com.
Will Remove China Apps impact the OS?
The Remove China Apps application just deals with apps and doesn’t affect the phone’s OS at any point. “The app will not affect the OS of Chinese phones,” Sinha adds.
How does Remove China Apps work?
The app is simple to use. Once you click the Scan Now option, the app will load for a few seconds and show the list of Chinese apps present on the phone. It provides users with the option to delete apps by clicking on the bin button next to each app. On clicking the bin, the app will uninstall the application, but retain all your data. For instance, if you use TikTok and decide to delete the app using Remove China App, the videos you shot will still remain in the gallery.
What is the developer claiming?
The OneTouchAppLabs website clearly explains the app’s aim and how it works. It notes that the app is being developed for educational purposes and only to “identify the country of origin of a certain application(s), we do not promote or force people to uninstall any of the application(s).”
The website notes that it detects country of origin based on the market research, and cannot “guarantee for any correct/wrong information” and warns users to “act only at their own will”.
It also mentions that the app detects and shows the installed application name only and all trademarks, copyrights and patents are the property of the app companies. Another disclaimer says it “is an educational category application only, developers do not use it for commercial purposes”.