Files Go becomes second Google app to get China release this week

Google has launched its file management app Files Go in China via third-party app stores. Following the release of ARCore on the Xiaomi App store earlier this week, it is the second time Google has launched an app in China in this way. 

TechCrunch reported that the file management app is available on the Tencent, Xiaomi, HUAWEI, and Baidu app stores. This is a much wider release than that of ARCore which was initially only released on the Xiaomi app store, although Google did say that more partners are coming soon.

Files Go is not exactly a flagship Google app, of course. As the name suggests, it is part of Google’s Android Go ecosystem of stripped-down apps designed to run on entry-level devices. As well as general file management features, it focuses on helping users free up storage on their devices. 

However, its release is still significant as previously Google apps have been unavailable in China. This has been the case since Google pulled out of the country in 2010, bringing the Play Store with it.

With China being such a huge Android market, there have been plenty of rumors in recent years about Google trying to re-enter the country. While previously reported plans to rollout a special version of the Play Store have yet to come to materialize, releasing apps through third-party app stores could be one way for Google to get its services into one of the world’s biggest Android markets.

Google has been making inroads into China in other ways recently. At the end of last year, the company announced a research and development center focused on AI in China. It is also reportedly building a hardware team in China with a focus on smartphones and Google Home.