Google has removed three AnTuTu benchmarking apps from Play Store, allegedly because they have links with developer Cheetah Mobile (CM). The Chinese developer is infamous for regularly flouting Google Play Store policies by either placing ad-infested apps that collect excessive data of users as well as offer dubious in-app purchases. Apparently it is due to this reason, three apps -- Antutu 3DBench, Antutu Benchmark, and Altutu Benchmark -- have been removed from the platform.
As per a report by Android Police, a click on the privacy policy link on the latest archive of the app listing takes users to Cheetah Mobile's website, which indicates that these apps are owned by the Chinese developer. While there is no reference of CM on Antutu's website, Tianyancha -- a data technology service company with a vast repository of Chinese enterprise information -- shows Fu Sheng as the top executive of Beijing Antutu Technology Co.. The same person serves as the CEO of Cheetah Mobile.
Google removed all apps by Cheetah Mobile from the Play Store as a part of its crackdown of apps that serve users out-of-context, or disruptive ads that impair or interfere with the usability of device functions, and collect exorbitant amounts of data. According to Per Bjorke (via BuzzFeed), Google’s Senior Product Manager for Ad Traffic Quality, the removed apps were installed more than 4.5 billion times, primarily targeted English-speaking users and were primarily provided by developers based in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India.
Meanwhile, AnTuTu has said that there is some misunderstanding and Google's misjudgment in believing that AnTuTu purchased and used the legal services from Cheetah Mobile. Antutu CEO has stressed that the company is NOT the related account of Cheetah Mobile! According to AnTuTu CEO, Fu Sheng is seen as the chairman/manager of Beijing AnTuTu Technology Co., Ltd., because of the requirements of the investors, and Fu does not participate in the operation or the management of AnTuTu.
‘AnTuTu was founded in 2011, even before Cheetah Mobile, and is one of the earliest Google Play developers. Cheetah Mobile invested in us in around 2014 and became one of our shareholders since then. However, we still retain a considerable account of shares and Independent operation of the company as well as our own independent Google Play account. Cheetah Mobile has never touched our Google Play account, and AnTuTu has NOT done any promotion of Cheetah Mobile's software,’ the executive said in a statement.
