Apple is hiding Taiwan's flag emoji if you're in Hong Kong or ...

... that have their iOS region set to Hong Kong or Macau, as noticed by the blog Hiraku and later corroborated by Hong Kong Free Press. Skiptomaincontent clock menu more-arrow no yes Tech Video Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft Samsung Tesla AI Cars Cybersecurity Mobile Policy Privacy Scooters AllTech Reviews Phones Laptops Headphones Cameras Tablets Smartwatches Speakers Drones Accessories BuyingGuides How-tos Deals MorefromVergeReviews Science Video Space NASA SpaceX Health Energy Environment AllScience Creators YouTube Instagram Adobe Kickstarter Tumblr ArtClub Cameras Photography What’sinyourbag? AllCreators Entertainment Film TV Games Fortnite GameofThrones Books Comics Music AllEntertainment Video Features Podcasts Newsletters Store ✕ Filedunder: Apple Policy US&World AppleishidingTaiwan’sflagemojiifyou’reinHongKongorMacau New, 39 comments Buttherearestillwaystouseit By JayPetersandNickStatt Oct7,2019,6:32pmEDT Sharethisstory SharethisonFacebook SharethisonTwitter Share Allsharingoptions Share Allsharingoptionsfor: AppleishidingTaiwan’sflagemojiifyou’reinHongKongorMacau Linkedin Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email WhenApplereleasediOS13.1.1inlateSeptember,itappearstohavedroppedtheTaiwanflagfromtheemojikeyboardforusersthathavetheiriOSregionsettoHongKongorMacau,asnoticedbytheblogHirakuandlatercorroboratedbyHongKongFreePress. TheTaiwanflagemojiisn’tcompletelygone—apparently,itwillstilldisplayinappsandonwebsites,andyoucanevenstill“type”itbyeithertyping“Taiwan”inEnglishandselectingitfromApple’snext-wordpredictionsorbycopyingandpastingit. Regardless,theremovalisbeingtreatedbyactivistsandpro-HongKongsupportersasanotherattemptfrommainlandChinatoestablishsovereigntyoverareasitconsidersunderitscontrol.BecauseofTaiwan’spoliticalstatus,thePeople’sRepublicofChinaconsidersanymentionoforallusiontoitsindependenceasanoffenseagainstitssovereignty. Apple’sregionlockofROCTaiwanflagextendedbeyondCNdevicestoHKandMacau’sintheiOS/iPadOS13.1.1rollout.Interestingly,thenewlockonlyaffectsthekeyboard,andhasnoproblemdisplayingandiseasytobypassbyswitchingregion.https://t.co/RVRKNQyc1lpic.twitter.com/8eQXambiAQ—王博源WangBoyuan(@thisboyuan)October3,2019 Thechangecomesinthemidstofanti-governmentprotestsinHongKong,whichhavebeenongoingformonthsandonlycontinuetointensifyastheChinesegovernmenthastakenmeasurestocrackdownonthemovement.TheheightenedtensionshavehadallsortsofrippleeffectsonAmericanbusinesses,too,ascompaniesfearfulofbeingshownthedoorbyoneoftheworld’smosteconomicallyinfluentialcountriesarebowingtopressurefromChinatostayawayfrompoliticallysensitivetopics. Chinapressuresforeigncompaniestoadheretoitspoliticalworldviewtodobusinessinthecountry TheNBAthispastweekendformallyapologizedtoChinaforatweetfromHoustonRocketsgeneralmanagerDarylMoreythatvoicedsupportforHongKong;ChinaistheNBA’sbiggestforeignmarket.AndvideogamecompanyActivisionBlizzardremovedarecordingofaprofessionalHearthstoneplayercallingforHongKong’sliberationinapost-gameinterview.There’salonghistoryofothercompanies,fromtheGaptoMercedes-BenzparentcompanyDaimler,issuingpublicapologiestoavoidrunningafoulofChina’sstrictspeechpoliciesanditsstanceonhot-buttontopicslikeHongKong’sindependenceandpoliticalturmoilinTaiwanandTibet. ApplehasahistoryofappeasingChinaaswell,consideringhowlargeamarketChinaisandtheiPhonemaker’smanufacturingsupplychaininthecountry.Earlierthisyear,ApplecensoredanumberofHongKongsingersontheChinaversionofAppleMusic,andthecompanyhasinthepastremovedVPNappsfromtheChineseversionoftheAppStore.Ithasevenhiddenthisemojibefore,too—since2017,iPhoneusersinmainlandChinahavebeenunabletoseeortypetheTaiwanflagontheirdevicesatall,accordingtoEmojipedia. InThisStream BlizzardbansplayerforsupportingHongKongprotests:allthelatestupdates TeamHongKong’sunlikelyjourneytotheOverwatchWorldCup AppleishidingTaiwan’sflagemojiifyou’reinHongKongorMacau Viewall18stories NextUpIn Policy Signupforthe newsletter VergeDeals SubscribetogetthebestVerge-approvedtechdealsoftheweek. Justonemorething! PleaseconfirmyoursubscriptiontoVergeDealsviatheverificationemailwejustsentyou. Email(required) Bysigningup,youagreetoourPrivacyNoticeandEuropeanusersagreetothedatatransferpolicy. Subscribe Loadingcomments... Sharethisstory Twitter Facebook