We monitor 175 App Store storefronts to answer one question —
Is Streams in the Desert censored by Apple?
Apple does not offer Streams in the Desert in most of the App Stores it operates — 74 of 175, including India. 4.59B people cannot install it. It has been unavailable in India since Dec 28, 2025.
1,260 tests on record·last checked 34 hours ago
Why it is unavailable
Five things can put an app out of one App Store. Each is weighed below against what can be seen from outside — open a card for the reasoning.
A government or a court demanded it
and Apple complied. Apple publishes a count of these per country each year and never says which apps they were. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- 39% of Books apps are unavailable in mainland China — 564 of 1,439 — against 28% of everything we test there.
- Apple reports 196 government-ordered removals in mainland China for 2025, naming none of them.
Apple applied a rule, unasked
either its own review guidelines, or its own reading of a local law, with nobody having demanded anything. This is the largest category in Apple's own removal figures by a wide margin, and it covers distribution permits as well as content — Apple kept a free Bible app out of mainland China in 2021 for want of one. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- 39% of Books apps are unavailable in mainland China — 564 of 1,439 — against 28% of everything we test there.
The developer withheld it
freely, or under legal advice of their own, or because Apple's guidelines require that kind of app to be limited to certain countries. Switching a country off is easy for a developer to do in Apple's own tools: it needs no new version of the app, and it leaves no public trace other than the app being unavailable.
- 39% of Books apps are unavailable in mainland China — 564 of 1,439 — against 28% of everything we test there.
Something broke
a rejected update, a lapsed certificate, a payment or licensing problem, a mistake nobody has got round to noticing.
- 39% of Books apps are unavailable in mainland China — 564 of 1,439 — against 28% of everything we test there.
- Gone for 3 years.
A local rule about paying for it
gambling licences, financial rules, tax — the kind of law that governs a transaction. Apple can obey every one of them by refusing the payment, which is why this is the only restriction we would accept and the only one that cannot touch a free app.
- It is free, so Apple sells nothing here.
How this is weighed, and what it cannot tell you
Weighed from the evidence under each card, not from a model. There is no published figure for how Apple's removals divide up, so these are ordered words rather than percentages. For scale on the same-day counts: across the whole record an app leaves a storefront with fewer than two others, so a dozen at once is not a dozen coincidences.
None of this is certain, and a citation does not make it so: Apple naming a Chinese agency tells you what Apple said, not everything that happened. What can be said is that the readings alone cannot separate these five — a developer switching off a country and a government ordering it removed arrive at Apple's catalogue looking identical — and that nobody has ever measured how they divide across the App Store. The one careful study of the question was done on Google's store, using an error message Apple does not emit.
Apple publishes no record of which apps are unavailable in which of its App Stores. For the removals it makes on a government's demand it publishes the agency and the law behind every one — 2,045 of the 166,899 apps it removed during 2025 — and never which app. Where a reason reaches the public at all, it is usually because a developer chose to say so. Apple's App Store Transparency Report
Know of a statement, notice or order we have missed? Tell us →
Streams in the Desert
Developer: 悯明 林 · Category: Book · Released: Jul 6, 2011 · Rating: 1.1★
Other Books apps missing from India
Life of this app
- Jul 6, 2011Released on the App Store
- Jul 9, 2021First tested by AppleCensorship
- Dec 28, 2025Gone from 74 storefronts
- Sep 17, 2026Most recent test
Testing history
One column per month, every month from the first reading to the last. Height follows how many readings we took that month; red is the share of them that found the app unavailable. An empty month is one nobody tested.
Found availableFound unavailable
Availability by storefront
Every storefront we test, current status first. Data is a measurement, not a promise: each row carries its own date.
| Test now | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlbaniaAL | Unavailable | Mar 3, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| AngolaAO | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| AnguillaAI | Unavailable | Jan 30, 2026 | 4 months ago | ||
| ArgentinaAR | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| ArmeniaAM | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| AustraliaAU | Unavailable | Aug 30, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| AustriaAT | Unavailable | Dec 18, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| AzerbaijanAZ | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| BahrainBH | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| BarbadosBB | Unavailable | Dec 18, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| BermudaBM | Unavailable | May 6, 2026 | 4 months ago | ||
| BotswanaBW | Unavailable | Oct 5, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| British Virgin IslandsVG | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| BulgariaBG | Unavailable | Apr 16, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| CambodiaKH | Unavailable | Dec 9, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| CanadaCA | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| ChileCL | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| China (Mainland)CN | Unavailable | Apr 15, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| ColombiaCO | Unavailable | Dec 18, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| Costa RicaCR | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| CroatiaHR | Unavailable | Apr 6, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| DenmarkDK | Unavailable | Mar 19, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| EcuadorEC | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| EgyptEG | Unavailable | Jul 20, 2024 | 7 months ago | ||
| EstoniaEE | Unavailable | Aug 27, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| FinlandFI | Unavailable | May 28, 2025 | 16 months ago | ||
| GermanyDE | Unavailable | Sep 6, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| GreeceGR | Unavailable | Dec 18, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| Guinea-BissauGW | Unavailable | Mar 12, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| IndiaIN | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| IndonesiaID | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| IsraelIL | Unavailable | Dec 5, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| ItalyIT | Unavailable | Sep 13, 2024 | 13 months ago | ||
| JamaicaJM | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| JapanJP | Unavailable | Jul 20, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| JordanJO | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 4 months ago | ||
| KazakhstanKZ | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| KenyaKE | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 4 months ago | ||
| LaosLA | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| LatviaLV | Unavailable | Mar 14, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| LiberiaLR | Unavailable | Feb 25, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| LithuaniaLT | Unavailable | Jul 4, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| MaldivesMV | Unavailable | Apr 19, 2026 | 5 months ago | ||
| MauritaniaMR | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| MicronesiaFM | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| MoldovaMD | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| MoroccoMA | Unavailable | Aug 31, 2024 | 5 months ago | ||
| NetherlandsNL | Unavailable | Dec 18, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| New ZealandNZ | Unavailable | Dec 18, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| OmanOM | Unavailable | May 21, 2026 | 4 months ago | ||
| Papua New GuineaPG | Unavailable | May 18, 2026 | 4 months ago | ||
| PeruPE | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 8 months ago | ||
| PhilippinesPH | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| PolandPL | Unavailable | Aug 5, 2025 | 11 months ago | ||
| PortugalPT | Unavailable | Apr 23, 2026 | 5 months ago | ||
| QatarQA | Unavailable | May 6, 2026 | 4 months ago | ||
| RwandaRW | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| Saudi ArabiaSA | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| SeychellesSC | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 4 months ago | ||
| SingaporeSG | Unavailable | Jul 20, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| SloveniaSI | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| South KoreaKR | Unavailable | May 14, 2026 | 4 months ago | ||
| SpainES | Unavailable | Aug 12, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| St. Kitts & NevisKN | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| St. Vincent & GrenadinesVC | Unavailable | Mar 25, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| SurinameSR | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 4 months ago | ||
| SwedenSE | Unavailable | Apr 19, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| TanzaniaTZ | Unavailable | Feb 19, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| TongaTO | Unavailable | Mar 20, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| TürkiyeTR | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| UgandaUG | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| UzbekistanUZ | Unavailable | Dec 9, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| VenezuelaVE | Unavailable | Dec 28, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| YemenYE | Unavailable | Dec 8, 2025 | 4 months ago | ||
| AfghanistanAF | Available | — | 31 days ago | ||
| Antigua & BarbudaAG | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| BahamasBS | Available | — | 24 days ago | ||
| BelarusBY | Available | — | 31 days ago | ||
| BelgiumBE | Available | — | 34 hours ago | ||
| BelizeBZ | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| BeninBJ | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| BoliviaBO | Available | — | 11 days ago | ||
| Bosnia & HerzegovinaBA | Available | — | 32 days ago | ||
| BrazilBR | Available | — | 11 days ago | ||
| CameroonCM | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| Cape VerdeCV | Available | — | 12 days ago | ||
| ChadTD | Available | — | 45 days ago | ||
| CzechiaCZ | Available | — | 6 days ago | ||
| DominicaDM | Available | — | 44 days ago | ||
| EswatiniSZ | Available | — | 10 days ago | ||
| FranceFR | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| GeorgiaGE | Available | — | 44 days ago | ||
| GuyanaGY | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| HondurasHN | Available | — | 10 days ago | ||
| Hong KongHK | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| HungaryHU | Available | — | 11 days ago | ||
| IcelandIS | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| KyrgyzstanKG | Available | — | 11 days ago | ||
| LebanonLB | Available | — | 31 days ago | ||
| MacaoMO | Available | — | 10 days ago | ||
| MalawiMW | Available | — | 44 days ago | ||
| MalaysiaMY | Available | — | 34 hours ago | ||
| MaliML | Available | — | 2 days ago | ||
| MauritiusMU | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| MontenegroME | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| MontserratMS | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| MozambiqueMZ | Available | — | 6 days ago | ||
| Myanmar (Burma)MM | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| NamibiaNA | Available | — | 32 days ago | ||
| NauruNR | Available | — | 34 hours ago | ||
| NepalNP | Available | — | 45 days ago | ||
| NicaraguaNI | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| NigerNE | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| NorwayNO | Available | — | 44 days ago | ||
| PakistanPK | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| PanamaPA | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| ParaguayPY | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| RomaniaRO | Available | — | 31 days ago | ||
| RussiaRU | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| SenegalSN | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| Sierra LeoneSL | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| South AfricaZA | Available | — | 2 days ago | ||
| Sri LankaLK | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| St. LuciaLC | Available | — | 44 days ago | ||
| SwitzerlandCH | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| TaiwanTW | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| TajikistanTJ | Available | — | 44 days ago | ||
| ThailandTH | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| Trinidad & TobagoTT | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| UkraineUA | Available | — | 12 days ago | ||
| United Arab EmiratesAE | Available | — | 34 hours ago | ||
| United KingdomGB | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| United StatesUS | Available | — | 34 hours ago | ||
| VanuatuVU | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| VietnamVN | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| ZambiaZM | Available | — | 10 days ago | ||
| AlgeriaDZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BhutanBT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BruneiBN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Burkina FasoBF | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Cayman IslandsKY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Côte d’IvoireCI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CyprusCY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Dominican RepublicDO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| DR CongoCD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| El SalvadorSV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| FijiFJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GabonGA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GambiaGM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GhanaGH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GrenadaGD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GuatemalaGT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IraqIQ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IrelandIE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KosovoXK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KuwaitKW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LibyaLY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LuxembourgLU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MadagascarMG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaltaMT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MexicoMX | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MongoliaMN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NigeriaNG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| North MacedoniaMK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PalauPW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Republic of the CongoCG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| São Tomé & PríncipeST | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SerbiaRS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SlovakiaSK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Solomon IslandsSB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TunisiaTN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TurkmenistanTM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Turks & Caicos IslandsTC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UruguayUY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ZimbabweZW | Not tested | — | — | 0 |
Testing asks Apple whether it will sell this app in that storefront, right now, by the same method the crawler has used since 2019. Your browser asks Apple directly, so the answer describes what Apple serves your connection — and if your browser cannot reach Apple at all, we ask on your behalf and say so. The result is a link: open it to see Apple's own answer and check ours. Readings are added to the record above; roughly a quarter of the readings taken each day come from people testing.
How we test
Availability is checked against Apple's own catalog servers for every storefront, the same way the App Store app asks. "Unavailable" means Apple's servers say the app cannot be offered in that country — it does not say who asked for the removal. Removals initiated by the developer and removals demanded by governments look the same from outside; the history and context on this page are how we tell them apart.