All iPhone owners know that you can install an application on a device only from the native App Store. More advanced ones do jailbreak and upload ipa files. But on earth there is such a country as China, where users can safely do without the App Store and jailbreak. They have their own methods. I already wrote about Tongbu and 25pp. Forget about them, now everything is much easier. You just need to go to the website http://iphone.i4.cn from your iOS devices and install the application. Yes exactly. The application is installed from the Safari browser on your iPhone. And when you launch it, you will find yourself in a small Chinese app store. There is really one problem, the entire interface here is in Chinese. But fortunately, the search understands the Latin alphabet.
So, let's see how the Chinese App Store works. Access the site from your iPhone at http://iphone.i4.cn
Click on the green button and get the program icon on your desktop.
Open and search in the search for what you need. I tried to install the “VK” application, which was recently removed from the native App Store.
Installed and working.
I categorically welcome everyone and everything! I already talked about great program vShare, which offers an alternative (more importantly - completely free!) App Store for iPhone and iPad - how to use it. However, in that case, for all operations for downloading games and applications, we used a smartphone or tablet directly.
More recently, a similar program has appeared for Windows (finally waited for!) And it turns out that a full-fledged App Store from China is now available on your computer! The ability to download any games, applications, software on iPhone and iPad for free, and all this without jailbreak and other interference with the device. Cool?! Of course. Yes, and using the program is very easy ... but let's talk about everything in order, let's go!
First, a few important notes:
How to Install Chinese App Store on Computer
First you need to download it, you can do it at this link. Please note that the following are supported:
- Windows.
- Devices: iPhone / iPad / iPod touch.
- System: iOS 7.0 - 9.3.2.
If your gadgets meet these requirements, then feel free to download. Installation is no different from any other program. Run the downloaded file and choose one of the two options:
- One Key Installation - one-click installation.
- Custom Installation - custom installation.
In fact, they won’t give you much to choose, only the installation location, and they will also ask whether it is worth creating shortcuts on the desktop. Therefore, feel free to click install in "one click".
How to use the Chinese App Store on a computer
After installation, we pay attention to the fact that although the App Store is Chinese, all the inscriptions are exclusively on English language. And this is a huge plus compared to other similar projects, where all the menus are in hieroglyphs and it can be very difficult to make out anything.
Well, now let's move on to the most important thing - free installation games and applications. To do this, connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer.
After connecting, the vShare SE store will be automatically installed on your device. I already told you how to use it, the link is at the beginning of the article. Therefore, we will not be distracted and continue to work on the PC.
At the top of the program there is an Apps tab - click on it. We open a window with games and applications. On the left side of the screen, we see a choice between which device to download programs for - iPhone or iPad. And just below the menu, which will allow you to quickly navigate in all this diversity:
- Featured - popular.
- Games - games.
- Apps - applications.
- Topic - all sorts of topics and forums. Everything here is in English - so it's not interesting :)
- Infinite - already "pumped" games. For example - all levels are open, a lot of money, etc. For a second, remember that everything still happens without a jailbreak. Does it even happen? :)
Possible problems and solutions
Since vShare Helper is a Chinese program, problems with it are of course possible. Below is a list of possible errors and their solutions:
Instead of an afterword
I would like to summarize here. My opinion is that the work of developers should be respected and paid. But…
This does not mean that there should not be such programs described in this article. Indeed, in addition to the fact that with the help of them you can download any paid game and the application, there is another, much more important plus.
In such unofficial App Stores, you can find old versions of programs, those that have already been updated in the Apple store. After all, sometimes a developer will update his creation so much that you will be upset 10 times because you didn’t leave old version(hello VK!). And the ability to return everything as it was (download the old version) is worth a lot.
P.S. Write in the comments what worked and what didn't. And put a "like" so that the program always works and develops!
In the summer of 2017, I left LovePlanet and moved into dating apps: first launched Partner, then Taboo, and recently the cheating app Brook.
I immediately planned to expand to China: I have friends in the Middle Kingdom, and when I studied their market in detail, I saw an increase in app downloads up to 125% per year, which is higher than in the US (according to App Annie 2017 Retrospective Report). Yes, I knew that there would be difficulties due to Chinese specifics, but it discourages many competitors.
Result? Now all three of our applications are represented in the Chinese market, and today this country accounts for a third of all our revenues. At the same time, only Partner in January of this year brought in more than $58,000 in revenue per month.
Throughout December and January, I lived in China, where I met dozens of companies and agencies from the digital industry and understood how to work in this market. Why is it important? Because the Chinese market is the largest and most promising in the world. App Annie's charts speak louder than any words.
App Annie 2017 Retrospective Report
But let's get down to business, namely, tips and tricks for launching mobile applications in the Chinese market.
1. Always translate the app into Chinese
The first nuance of working with China: they do not speak English in this country. And in most cities and provinces people have never seen foreigners. Seriously! So always translate your app into Chinese.
There are several of them:
- B - two (Chinese Traditional and Chinese Simplified)
- B - three: Chinese (Hong Kong), Chinese (traditional) and Chinese (simplified)
In fact, there are still two main languages, and the Chinese themselves say that the Chinese (Hong Kong) variant of the language is, in fact, the same as traditional Chinese. At the same time, despite different languages, the keyboard layout will be the same: according to the Pinyin writing system. In any case, each language option automatically adapts to the phone settings - the main thing is that there should be a translation in principle.
Translation should never be given to a Russian-speaking person with knowledge of Chinese. After we tried to translate Partner with the help of a Russian company, the local Chinese corrected 90% of the text.
Alas, it is unlikely that you will find a Russian translator who would know all the intricacies of translating into Chinese, and even more so in the field of mobile applications. Even the Chinese themselves make mistakes in writing similar phrases, but this is another story.
In addition to the texts inside the application, don't forget to translate the meta-data (application description, screenshots, title, promotional materials). And keep in mind that in short sentences, Chinese takes up much less space than many other languages. Your application interface may not be ready for this.
2. Look for an alternative
When you get to the android version of your app, you're in for a nasty surprise. Blocked in China Google Play. If everything works in Hong Kong or Taiwan - and Google, and, and, then almost everything is blocked in China.
Alternative to Google Play? Instead, the Chinese market has a large number of other app stores. In principle, the top 15 largest local app stores cover approximately 90% of the market. I would like to point out the six most important ones:
- Myapp is the #1 store from the largest IT company in the country (Tencent).
- Baidu Market is the leading marketplace from China's largest search network.
- Xiaomi Store - app store from the manufacturer of the same name Chinese smartphones, gadgets and a wide variety of electronics.
- China Mobile. Mobile Market is a store of one of the largest mobile operators in China.
- AnZhi and 360 Mobile Assistant are two other very popular Chinese marketplaces.
3. Get licenses for your application in advance
Point in continuation of the previous one. When you start talking to local Google Play counterparts, you will realize that each store has its own unique requirements that are not always possible to meet.
Someone prohibits uploading applications to legal entities registered outside of China. Almost all require certificates. The most difficult thing is for game developers, who will have to not only receive a certificate, but also register a legal entity in China.
Game developers are also required to get approval from the State General Administration for Press, Printing, Broadcasting, Cinematography and Television of the People's Republic of China.
Depending on the type of game and the presence of storylines, you will need a different amount of supporting documents. Surely you will need to send a smartphone specially purchased for this to the department with installed game, a working SIM card and access to all the functions of the game (apparently, so that you can play enough). After receiving your smartphone, the agency may extend the approval process for a period of 2 to 6 months.
selectively Chinese stores may impose strict requirements on other types of applications, such as dating. Most likely, you will be asked for the most popular ISP license - its registration costs about $2,500. It takes at least 20 business days to complete.
And without knowing Chinese, you won’t be able to pass any certification, so immediately go (and carry your money) to intermediaries.
4. Refuse authorization through social networks
Yes, the App Store operates in China, but even in the iOS version of your application, never authorize through social networks. Many major players also forget about this, leaving the entrance to the application through conditional Facebook.
In China, Facebook is blocked, and you will simply lose the money spent on getting the coveted installs, because the user will not go beyond the first screen.
In addition to authorization through social networks, leave Google Analytics at home, Google Maps and other built-in Google-SDKs. Maps simply will not open, and analytics will not be collected (at best). In the worst case, from using third-party blocked SDKs, the application will not work or will start to crash.
5. Don't give up. There is good news too!
Despite prohibitions and bureaucracy, people in China often turn a blind eye to this. A simple example: in the descriptions of applications, you can not say the word "sex", and even more so "gay". Okay, the market has long since adapted and is now calling gay dating a “guy portal.” That is, everyone understands everything, but they just found quick ways to get around bureaucratic troubles.
Another point is that China has rather weak digital agencies. After several dozen meetings, I realized that they often sin with a high check, and services are eventually provided by newly hired interns (as in some large Russian agencies, however).
Against their background, Russian marketers, mobile developers, affiliates and traffic managers are ahead of the rest. Or at least ahead of the Chinese agencies.
Conclusion? Try! Dare! And conquer the great Chinese market!
Ju Da Dia Hao Yun! (in Chinese 祝大家好运 - good luck to everyone!)
Let's just immediately discard the moral side of the question that you have to pay for applications. Of course, it is necessary, to which I urge you. And the installation method, which will be discussed below, is given for informational purposes only. By the end of the article, I will try to explain what disadvantages it has. Perhaps they will help you finally make sure that The best way get a paid application - buy it in the App Store.
You can download software without paying thanks to the vShare service. This is a Chinese digital store that has a large number of games and apps available from the App Store. To connect to this site, you need to use a computer. But after quick setup vShare allows you to install content without the help of a PC - directly to mobile device.
How to download applications through the vShare service
1. Install the vShare client on the computer
The first step is to install the vShare client on your computer. A link to the program is available on the service website. During the installation process, the client offers to download additional software like Opera browser, but this can be waived.
Before using vShare, it's best to make sure your computer has the latest version of iTunes.
2. Install vShare App on iPhone or iPad
After installing the client on your computer, you need to install the vShare app on your iOS device. This happens automatically, just launch vShare on your PC, connect your iPhone or iPad to it via USB cable and wait a few seconds. If the installation does not occur automatically, you need to click on the Install vShare button.
3. Download paid apps from the App Store for free
The vShare application, which will appear on the iPhone or iPad after the above manipulations, is an alternative version of the App Store. It has a search form and categories for navigating through the application catalog.
To install a program or game from vShare, you need to find it in the catalog and click on the Get button. Before downloading, the system asks for permission, it must be approved. All games and programs installed in this way appear on the iOS desktop, just like regular applications.
After installing vShare on a mobile device, you can disconnect the latter from your computer and download software without the help of a PC. But if the vShare application starts opening the App Store before each download, you should reconnect the gadget to the computer and click Reauthorization in the main menu of the vShare client for Windows.
Sometimes programs installed via vShare do not start and the message “Unreliable corporate developer” appears on the screen. In this case, you need to open the section "Settings" → "General" → "Profiles and management. device", click on the developer of the problematic application, and then select the "Trust ..." option.
What are the disadvantages of vShare
- Applications installed through vShare are not verified by Apple and therefore may threaten your personal data and normal operation iOS devices in general. You use the service at your own risk.
- The vShare catalog is missing many apps and games available from the App Store.
- Applications installed via vShare may not work correctly or not work at all.
- Installing via vShare takes longer on average than via the App Store. And to update programs, you need to connect your mobile device to your computer and use the special Update menu in the vShare client for Windows.
- It is possible that the Apple ID that vShare connects to may be blocked.
As you can see, it is much more convenient and safer to buy programs in the official way. Do you agree?
12.05.2018
Attentive to temporal offers
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.If you have any doubts, you can comment as if you have suggestions. First, say that the application is entirely in Chinese. And if you "touch" the app a bit, you will realize that you don't need to know that the Chinese use it 100%. It must be said that even though this app is entirely in Chinese, if we search for "Pages" for example, we will catch the search perfectly.
The details section contains your contacts, notes, bookmarks, and calendars. The ability to read and edit SMS on ios 8.4 and higher has unfortunately become impossible.
A very useful item in this section is the "Contacts" item. Contacts are what we are always afraid of losing. There is a feature here with which we can save all our contacts. This function is called "Export". To copy contacts, select all contacts and click "Export". Next, select the format in which your contacts will be saved. For example, to view in excel, select the CSV format.
You can add new contacts. To do this, click the "+ New" item. Fill in all fields and save the contact. You can just as easily change the old contact. When you select a contact, all information about this contact (photo, numbers, addresses, etc.) is displayed on the right. To change it, simply click on "Edit" and easily edit the contact.
Tool section
This section contains programs for working with your device. These programs are divided into three subsections. Each subsection includes its own programs.
Data management
- Create ringtone- the program allows you to create ringtones from songs.
- Moving the device- you can transfer all the data of your device to another.
- Backup- I think it is clear from the title.
- Recovery- allows you to restore your phone from a copy you made from a previous program.
- File management- file manager for your device.
- iTunes Backup Manager- allows you to manage the copies you made on iTunes.
- icloud control- allows you to manage your cloud storage (but for security reasons, you should not trust your login and password to this Chinese program).
Equipment management
- Airplay- allows you to display the video of your device on the TV screen.
- Battery expert- shows complete information about the state of your battery.
- Live desktop- allows you to see the desktop of your device on your computer in real time.
- Screen control- allows you to edit the desktop of your device. Move apps, create new pages and folders
- Program repair- it is clear from the name, it repairs your programs. Programs that crashed or hung.
- Moon calendar- adds a lunar calendar to your device.
- portable disk- allows you to use your device as a flash drive.
- App to open- This program only works with jailbroken devices. Jailbreak devices.
- iTools for ios- installs the iTools app on your device.
Additional features
This subsection includes the following programs:
- SSH channel- allows you to connect to iPhone via SSH terminal. Program for experienced users.
- System log
- - allows you to download any version of the official firmware for any Apple device.
- Recovery Assistant- helps to update to the latest firmware version.
- Phone rating- shows the price of the iPhone in the Chinese market.
- Device repair- shows officially authorized service centers in China.
- jailbreak assistant- helps to jailbreak your device.
- We are not interested in the last program, because it is an android emulator.
Download iTools 3.4.1.0 in Russian
You can download the latest version of the program by clicking on the picture to download iTools.