There's the world and there's
China. The Chinese like to do things their way, and this includes app marketplaces.
Android devices in
China are required by law to not have
Google's services, including the app store (aka
Google Play) and such.
According to reports, Lenovo's mobile head, Chen Xudong, feels 2016 is the year when
Google could finally break in to one of the largest phone markets in the world.
Xudong suggests that it is pretty evident that
Google has been eyeing penetration into the Chinese market, it'll most likely be this year when it happens.
For now, phones in
China are shipped with app marketplaces installed by the respective OEMs instead of a unified
Google Play store.
That said, there's still an official word pending from
Google about this. Knowing how companies with a scale as large as Google operate, we might not see an announcement until Goole Play actually comes to
China.
How it'll matter GizChina readers (and people outside China): Insignificant, but you will get your imported
Android phones pre-installed with (official, not side-loaded)
Google services.