AnTuTu benchmark app removed from Google Play

AnTuTu, one of the most popular benchmark apps used for comparing the performance of smartphones and tablets, has just been removed from the Google Play Store.

File photo: Realme C3 with AnTuTu app last February 28, 2020

AnTuTu removed from Google Play

The reason behind it is it could be a part of Google's crackdown on apps from developer Cheetah Mobile. The affected AnTuTu apps include the AnTuTu Benchmark and AnTuTu 3DBench. Upon checking Google Play, the AnTuTu's AI Review app is nowhere to be found as well.

Android Police's report stated that the policy link on the latest available archive of AnTuTu points to Cheetah Mobile's website. It indicates that AnTuTu is likely owned by Cheetah Mobile.

Tianyancha business database lists Fu Sheng as the chairman/manager of Beijing Antutu Technology Co., the same person serves as the CEO of Cheetah Mobile.

AnTuTu at APKPure

If you still want to download AnTuTu, you may check Huawei AppGallery, Apple App Store, and APKPure.

Update: AnTuTu released a statement.

The team had received notification email from Google on March 7th informing us that AnTuTu was one of the related publisher accounts of Cheetah Mobile, all AnTuTu apps were removed from the Play Store. But in fact, we think there is some misunderstanding about it. AnTuTu is NOT the related account of Cheetah Mobile!!

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.

We believe that the reason for Google's misjudgment is that we purchased and used the legal services from Cheetah Mobile, so our privacy policy link used the address of cmcm.com. This is what we are working on, including changing legal supplier.

We hope that Google can examine AnTuTu‘s account carefully and finally resolve this misunderstanding as soon as possible.

What do you guys think?

Via: Android Police