Mobile technology giant, Google expects to return to mainland China before the end of the year following a five-year absence, Reuters, quoting a tech website The Information, reported on Friday.
Relations between Google and China went sour when the company announced in January 2010 that in response to a Chinese-originated hacking attack on them and other US tech companies, they were no longer willing to censor searches in China and would pull out of the country completely if necessary.
Subsequently, searching via all Google search sites, including Google Mobile, were moved from Mainland China to Hong Kong.
The news agency, still quoting the tech website, said that Google has assured Chinese authorities that it will follow local laws and block Play store apps that the government deems objectionable.
The tech giant is also planning to extend support of a version of Android for wearable devices in the country.
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.
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 direct comment, Reuters stated.