Chinese authorities have ordered central government officials not to use Apple iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work purposes — it is also banned from bringing such devices into government buildings. This will be reported The Wall Street Journal citing their own sources.
Image source: apple.com
Officials received the corresponding order via chat groups or at work meetings. The initiative is being implemented as part of a program aimed at reducing China’s reliance on foreign technology, improving cybersecurity and reducing the flow of sensitive data across the country’s borders. This will shake the position of foreign brands in the smartphone market in China. The premium segment is dominated by Apple, which sees China as one of its largest markets and generates around 19% of its total sales there.
The scope of the new rule is unknown – it is only reported that the order is aimed at employees of some central regulators. Officials from various Chinese government agencies were previously banned from using their iPhone for professional purposes, and this ban has now been expanded. Similar bans apply in the US, particularly to Huawei devices and the installation of the TikTok app on government-owned devices – data leaks are a concern in both countries and relations between the states are becoming increasingly strained.
Beijing is urging all ministries and state-owned companies to replace foreign technology solutions — computers, operating systems and other software — with Chinese counterparts, deemed safer and more controlled.
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