Skip to main content
The VergeThe Verge logo.The Verge homepage
The VergeThe Verge logo.

Filed under:

Android Market and Gmail outages in China prompt confusion and accusations

By Dante D'Orazio

Share this story

Android Market and Gmail app service interruptions in China were expected to be the result of a Chinese block; however, Google claimed responsibility on Tuesday and said the services were back up.

  • Dante D'Orazio

    Oct 12, 2011

    Dante D'Orazio

    Google update to blame for Android Market, Gmail outages in China

    Android Market China
    Android Market China

    It turns out — for now — that this past weekend's service outage is not the latest in the Google vs. China saga. A Google spokesman told CNET that a "technical issue" related to an update was the cause for Sunday's service interruption to the Market and Gmail Android apps. According to the spokesman, the malfunction has been fixed, and the apps are back in operation. We checked Blocked in China and Great Firewall of China, both designed to test whether a site has been blocked, and both show that access has been restored to the Android Market website.

    Read Article >
  • Dante D'Orazio

    Oct 11, 2011

    Dante D'Orazio

    Android users in China lose access to Gmail, Market?

    Android Market China
    Android Market China

    There are reports from China that the government there has blocked access to both Market and Gmail on Android devices. Google has yet to comment on the service outage, and the government is not expected to as it regularly blocks access to websites without notice. According to MocoNews, access to both of the services has been intermittent in China since Sunday. A quick check of Blocked in China shows that Chinese servers are currently unable to access the Android Market website.

    This possible service blockage would merely be the latest in a battle between Google and China that has spanned more than a year now. The search giant ceased operations in China and refused to censor its search results back in 2010. More recently, the government blocked access to Google+ following Google's allegations this past summer that the Chinese were responsible for hacked Gmail accounts. The highly public feud has allowed local competitors to gain a foothold in China; most notably among these competitors is Baidu and its upcoming Android-based Yi OS. It looks like the Google vs. China drama isn't over yet; we'll let you know when we hear more.

    Read Article >