(Yicai Global) June 11 -- Shares of iFlytek, a Chinese artificial intelligence developer, plunged almost by the exchange-imposed daily trading limit after its virtual keyboard app was removed from major Chinese app stores.

IFlytek [SHE: 002230] fell nearly 10 percent today, before closing 6 percent lower at CNY57.70 (USD9.03).

The iFlytek Input Method has been removed from the app stores of Apple, Huawei Technologies, and Xiaomi after it illegally collected non-business-related user information, Sina Tech reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.

The Hefei-based company has demoted Cheng Kun, general manager of the input method business unit, given Hu Guoping, the unit’s senior vice president, a low assessment, and circulated a notice criticizing the people involved, the report added.

The firm is operating normally but is waiting to hear from its business departments before making a full assessment, the report said, quoting an insider.

The number of third-party virtual keyboard users in China is expected to reach 778 million this year, according to new figures from Bigdata-Research.

IFlytek Input Method, Sogou Input Method, and Baidu Input Method account for nearly 95.9 percent of the market share, with iFlytek’s app ranking second with 26.7 percent. The app also ranks first for active voice input users at 70.7 percent.

Editor: Peter Thomas