VK and Max messenger removed from Google Play store
VK, one of Russia's largest technology companies, announced that its core applications, including the VK social network and Max messenger, have disappeared from the Google Play platform. This change came as a surprise to Android users, but the company emphasizes that the situation is under control. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .
Previously, the Max messenger was also removed from Apple's App Store catalog. Now, these applications can no longer be found via search in the Google Play store. Experts believe that such restrictions may be directly related to the latest round of international sanctions.
According to official information from the VK press service, applications already installed on users' devices will continue to function as usual. No technical restrictions on using the services are planned, and all features and security systems remain stable.
Alternative download methods
The Russian company recommends that users utilize alternative stores to update and reinstall the applications. Specifically, VK and Max apps can be downloaded from the following platforms:- RuStore;
- Huawei AppGallery;
- Samsung Galaxy Store;
- Xiaomi GetApps.
Several industry sources, including the publication ixbt.com, report that not only VK but also the "Odnoklassniki" social network application has disappeared from the Google Play store. This indicates increasing pressure on digital markets for the most popular services in the Russian segment.
Regarding the political aspect of the situation, on Monday the European Union officially imposed sanctions against VK and its subsidiary, "Kommunikatsionnaya platforma". Western regulators consider this entity the legal owner and operator of the Max messenger. These sanctions are the primary reason why tech giants like Google and Apple have removed these programs from their stores.
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