UC Browser will return to Google Play Store next week, UC Web confirms

UC Web said that the allegations of running misleading and malicious promotions on UC Browser are completely false and baseless.

UC Web responds to the ongoing controversy over disappearance of UC Browser from Google Play Store. (Google)

UC Web on Thursday said that its UC Browser will return to Google Play Store next week and that the app was not pulled out from Play Store for "misleading" and "malicious" promotions.

"The exact reason for UC Browser's unavailability on Google Play is because of a certain setting of UC Browser that was not in line with Google's policy. The reason for the removal has nothing to do with alleged data security breach or malicious promotion," the company said in a statement.

UC Web further said that the person named "Mike Ross", who claimed to be a company employee, is in fact not associated with the firm. The Twitter user "Mike Ross" had claimed that the app was blocked for 30 days for using "misleading" and "unhealthy" methods to promote the installs.

"We would like to state that we have no records of anyone named 'Mike Ross' claiming to be working for UC Browser, as mentioned in some reports. The person claiming to be working for UC Browser is in no way associated with the firm nor represent the views of the company. The allegations of misleading and malicious promotions by the said person are completely false and baseless," the company added.

The company also clarified that the absence of UC Browser from Play Store was temporary and that a new product package will be available next week. Users can still download the application from the company's website. It is worth noting that UC Browser is still available on Apple's App Store.

Responding to the removal of UC Browser from Play Store, a Google spokesperson said, "Our policies are designed to provide a safe and positive experience for users. That's why we remove apps from Google Play that violate those policies."

Earlier, disappearance of UC Browser from Google Play store was being linked with the application coming under scanner of the Indian government for allegedly transmitting user data to a remote server in China. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing in Hyderabad is investigating the matter.

UC Browser enjoys a big popularity in India. Alternative to Google Chrome, the browser is mainly known for its data compression functionality, which allows users to consume maximum content without spending a lot of mobile data. The browser is the go-to app for low-end Android phones.

UC Browser, which has been developed by Alibaba-owned UC Web, recently announced surpassing 500 million downloads on Play store. The browser is the sixth-most downloaded application on Play Store in India, according to a Internet Trends Report 2017 by Kleiner Perkins. The company has more than 100 million monthly active users in India. The browser had a 45.08% market share in the country in October, according to StatCounter.