(Yicai Global) Feb. 15 -- The firm behind Zheli, China’s first metaverse social app, removed it from Apple’s app store in the country just two days after it ranked first for free downloads. The owner said it was addressing technical issues, but there have also been claims of privacy breaches.  

Yidian Digital Entertainment is upgrading the hugely popular app to improve user experience, so new registrations are halted temporarily, the Beijing-based company announced via Weibo on Feb. 13. It also said that technical issues such as unresponsiveness and crashes were being dealt with.

Launched on Jan. 19, Zheli overtook WeChat to top the free app list on Feb. 11, according to Economic View, a news app run by China News Agency. Users can select three-dimensional avatars and share virtual lives with up to 50 friends.

Some users have criticized Zheli for invasion of privacy when sharing contacts, but Beijing News reported that Yidian Digital denied the allegations. In its Weibo post, the company said it had encountered organized attacks and slander and that it is taking legal action.

Editor: Tom Litting