Apple removes Russia‑backed messenger from the App Store

Apple has removed the Russian state‑backed Max messenger from its App Store, the app’s developers announced Thursday.

For months Moscow has encouraged Russians to download Max, a super‑app that lacks encryption and that critics say could be used to monitor users. The government has throttled WhatsApp and Telegram, the country’s two largest messengers, and has required civil servants, state companies, schools and government agencies to shift their communications to Max.

“Max is temporarily unavailable for download in the App Store,” the messenger said in a statement on its platform Thursday. “It disappeared on Wednesday night.”

Apple has not commented on the removal, and the reasons remain unclear.

Both Apple and Google have removed dozens of Russian apps from their online stores, including those developed by companies sanctioned by Western governments. Apps already installed on phones in Russia continue to function, but new users cannot download them and existing users cannot receive updates.

The mass removals have sparked a cat‑and‑mouse dynamic, with Russian companies—particularly banks—launching apps disguised as other services, such as accounting software, and then urging clients to download the new version before it is banned.

Launched in 2025 by Russian social media giant VK, Max has been compared to China’s WeChat. It combines social media and messaging with access to government services, a digital ID card system, banking and payments. President Vladimir Putin has promoted it as a more “secure” platform that satisfies Russia’s demand for “technological sovereignty.”

Max has been pre‑installed on phones and tablets sold in Russia since September, but it is not available in the European Union. The app does not use end‑to‑end encryption, and its terms of use state that user data is stored exclusively on servers in Russia.

AFP

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