Google is expanding its offerings in communist-controlled Cuba

Following on from the recent release of its Chrome browser in Cuba, Google is expanding its product offerings in the Communist state. The company is launching Google Play and Google Analytics in the country today. As the United States’ long-standing embargo heavily restricts exports to Cuba, Google is only offering free apps on Google Play, and only the free version of Google Analytics. Third-party developers wishing to offer their free apps in Cuba will be able to do so via the Play developer console. 

Following an announcement in August that Google was officially releasing Google Chrome for users to download in Cuba, today the company said it’s making more services available to users in the country with the roll out of free Google Play content and Google Analytics. Up until recently, Chrome and other Google services had not been available to users to in Cuba due to trade restrictions that also block the use of some other Google services in the country. When it released Chrome in the summer, the company said that it’s “been working to figure out how to make more tools available in sanctioned countries” as U.S. export controls and sanctions change. It also made Chrome available in other sanctioned countries in recent years including Syria and Iran. While Google isn’t sharing many details regarding what’s happening behind the scenes, it did confirm that free apps and games are now available through Google Play in Cuba in addition to a free version of Google Analytics.