Google is planning to launch a Chinese version of their smartphone app store, Google Play, next year. This would be Google's first major venture in the market after ending localized product support in 2010. The new Google Play app store will be specifically set up for China and will not be in any way connected to its international version.

According to reports, Google intends to comply with the Chinese laws. One of which is filtering contents that might be seen as sensitive by the ruling Communist Party. Another is complying with the law that requires Google to store their app store's data within China.

It could be recalled that five years ago, Google has to largely pull their services out of China after the company refused to censor their search results. They had maintained a limited presence in the world's biggest smartphone market but most of Google's services including Google Play has been almost borderline inaccessible.

Google's top executives have not been quiet in their stand of wanting for the company to be back in China and Google Play might just be the first experimental product they will start with. Further reports say that Google might use the success of Google Play as a launching pad in order for them to introduce and place their other products and services in China. Though they have already planned for the app store to launch first next year, there is still no definite plan on what products would be launched next.

For now, it looks bleak for Google as they have lost almost all their standings for most of their products and services in the country to their Chinese competitors. It could also prove hard for the company especially since it will face both legal competitors and products which are sourced from barely legal means.

Google is set to launch Google Play in China next year after the Chinese New Year in February and hopefully before the early summer season creeps in. There are also talks speculating on having the app store go live by 2016.