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Google hopes to reenter China by fall: tech website

Google expects to return to mainland China as early as this fall following a five-year absence, tech website The Information reported on Friday. REUTERS/Google/Handout

(Reuters) - Google Inc expects to return to mainland China as early as this fall following a five-year absence, tech website The Information reported on Friday. The company hopes to get Chinese government approval for a China version of its Play store mobile app, The Information reported, citing people familiar with the plan. (http://bit.ly/1NfthB8) The tech giant is also planning to extend support of a version of Android for wearable devices in the country, The Information cited one of the people as saying. Google has assured Chinese authorities that it will follow local laws and block Play store apps that the government deems objectionable, one person familiar with the plans told the website. The Play store app will only work on devices running the recently unveiled "M" version of Android, and only on devices that comply with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology requirements, The Information reported. Google is also planning to offer new incentives to phone makers to upgrade Android phones to the latest versions of its operating system, one person familiar with the plans told the website. Google was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)