Tencent, one of the largest tech companies in China, has reportedly agreed to introduce some of its most important apps to Apple Vision Pro once it launched in the country later this year, according to a new report by The Information.
Tencent apps are constantly among the most popular in China and span many categories like social media, entertainment, gaming, and banking. Popular Tencent apps and games include Weibo, WeChat, QQ, WeBank, PUBG Mobile, and Honor of Kings. However, it’s currently unclear how Tencent apps will make their way to Vision Pro, whether they will be native visionOS apps or imported iPad apps.
Tencent is likely to be crucial for Vision Pro’s success in China for several reasons. As pointed out, Tencent apps are used by nearly everyone in the country with the company having a strong and ubiquitous presence in many sectors. Secondly, many services from foreign companies like Apple TV+ and Disney+ do not operate in China due to local regulations, meaning that Apple has to rely on a local partner like Tencent to provide use cases for Vision Pro.
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The partnership involving Tencent apps and Apple will help the later better market Vision Pro in China once it is available there, with The Information‘s report labeling the impending partnership as paramount for the success of Apple’s headset in the country. CEO Tim Cook confirmed that Vision Pro will launch in China later this year during his trip to Shanghai, and the company is likely ramping up work behind the scenes in preparation for the launch.
Beyond offering Tencent apps, Apple has also ramped up work to launch more of its services in China. The company has reportedly expanded its local teams responsible for Apple Music and iCloud in the country and has now set its eyes on readying more services like Apple TV+ to launch locally. Per regulations, Apple needs a local partner to help run subscription services, although a timeline as to when more services will be available in China is yet to be pinpointed.
