By Eric Byron, Director, Client Services
It is tough enough to figure out what devices to test your app on and which versions of the Android OS to support but then you go to publish your app in China and realize that Google Play gets you nowhere and there’s literally dozens of app stores to try to evaluate and most have no English language version. How do you determine how to get your app in the correct app stores for the maximum exposure to you target market? Add to that the security concerns around some of these apps stores and worries that your app with be    replaced with a hacked version or something that doesn’t even resemble the app you intended to distribute.
Some keys to success with publishing mobile apps in China:
- Don’t ignore Android. It is the most popular mobile device platform in China.
- Know your target market and what app stores to publish with. The Android app stores in China each have their own niche markets.
- Localization is more than just language. Get help adjusting the design of the app to fit the Chinese cultural and social distinctions.
- Make sure your app, and any backend services it connects to are secure.
Here are some App Stores in China you should keep an eye on:
| App Store | URL | Description |
 |
http://as.baidu.com/ | Baidu is one of Forbes top 50 companies in Asia and is listed on the Nasdaq exchange with about $3.5 billion annual revenue. They operate one of the most popular search engines in China. |
 |
http://android.myapp.com/ | This is the Tencent app store. Tencent is valued at over $100 Billion and rivals Facebook in China with QC (800+ million active users monthly) and WeChat (200+ million active users monthly) |
 Â Wandoujia/SnapPea |
http://www.wandoujia.com/ | Wandoujia is considered an independent startup, by a former Google employee, and was reporting 500,000 new users per day in July 2013. |
 |
http://www.appchina.com/ | Opened in 2010, AppChina was reported to have over 640,000 apps and 30 million users by July 2013. Games sales represent a large percentage of their revenue. |
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http://www.anzhi.com/ | Backed by gaming giant Shanda, Anzhi, which was previously known as GoApk, is one of the oldest app stores in China. While competition from new app stores has their numbers declining they are still reported as the number 4 most trafficked app stores in 2013. |
Publishing your Android apps in China can seem risky and difficult but it can also be very rewarding. It is a huge market that is growing exponentially. Increase your brand awareness with a good mobile app and watch your business grow.
Getting your mobile app into China doesn’t have to be so scary. If you partner with a company like Dextrys to help navigate the device/OS version landscape and assist with the selection and management of app stores in China, you can be very successful. At Dextrys we have expertise in mobile application development, localization and publishing in China. We know the Android app stores that are safe and reliable and can help you protect your intellectual property while getting your app great exposure to the China market.
