Apple to donate $1.6M for earthquake relief in China - report

Posted:
in General Discussion edited August 2014
Apple is said to have committed some 10 million yuan -- $1.6 million -- to support relief efforts following an earthquake in China's Yunnan province earlier this week that left over 600 people dead, the second time in as many years that the iPhone maker has pledged significant financial aid in the wake of a natural disaster.




Though Apple has yet to publicly confirm the donation, word of the company's commitment was reported by state-owned broadcaster China Radio International. Apple also updated its Chinese homepage to express its condolences.

Last April, Apple contributed 50 million yuan, or $8 million, to rescue and recovery work after an earthquake in neighboring Sichuan province. That event took nearly 200 lives and injured more than 10,000 people.

It is unknown whether Apple will follow up its donation by activating its iTunes donation system, which allows users to contribute to the Red Cross via iTunes. The last time the company did so was in November of 2013 after deadly Typhoon Haiyan ripped through the Philippines, killing more than 10,000.

Apple has also activated the system to accept contributions after Hurricane Sandy and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 27
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 4,031member
    It's a nice gesture, but it's enough. Countries like the Philippines and Haiti need help to a much higher level than economic powerhouses like China.
  • Reply 2 of 27
    Nice Apple. Savvy way gain a bit of leverage with the Chinese government.
  • Reply 3 of 27
    schlackschlack Posts: 727member
    the philipines and haiti are not buying millions of iphones. they are helping those who are important to company growth/revenue.
  • Reply 4 of 27

    Good going Tim - 

     

    Generates good will in country that we would like workers excited about Apple, and the consumer - generates good will/feelings toward Apple -

     

    I approve as a major shareholder

  • Reply 5 of 27
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    People viewing this cynically (even if they approve). What a surprise. :rolleyes:
  • Reply 6 of 27
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    rogifan wrote: »
    People viewing this cynically (even if they approve). What a surprise. :rolleyes:

    Are you hurt by the possibility there is a self-serving motive behind this?
  • Reply 7 of 27
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    People viewing this cynically (even if they approve). What a surprise. image

     

    People will be cynical and self serving. One of the goals of a well run economic system is to turn that cynicism and selfishness into jobs and products and research and charity and other stuff you use enjoy every day.

     

    The biggest flaw of many economic systems is that they ignore the flaws of human nature.

  • Reply 8 of 27
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 4,031member
    schlack wrote: »
    the philipines and haiti are not buying millions of iphones. they are helping those who are important to company growth/revenue.
    Did you read past the headline? Apple helped those non-iPhone buying third world countries by magnitudes. Why make Apple sound self-serving when clearly they're not?
  • Reply 9 of 27
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,146member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post





    Did you read past the headline? Apple helped those non-iPhone buying third world countries by magnitudes. Why make Apple sound self-serving when clearly they're not?

    Haha. Good one.

     

    Apple is a corporation. Corporations are tasked by law to be self-serving. Acting otherwise is actually illegal. But before everyone loses their minds, the law has a really, really low threshold of determining this.

  • Reply 10 of 27
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Are you hurt by the possibility there is a self-serving motive behind this?
    I'm not hurt by anything. But it does bother me that people's first instinct is to suggest there's an ulterior motive behind it.
  • Reply 11 of 27
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member

    Good PR move.

  • Reply 12 of 27
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Good PR move.

    Per the article: Though Apple has yet to publicly confirm the donation...

    If this was a PR move one would assume Apple would publicly confirm the donation or issue a press release.
  • Reply 13 of 27
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,763member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Quiet_Desperation View Post

     

    The biggest flaw of many economic systems is that they ignore the flaws of human nature.


     

    And the biggest flaw one can make is to never truly consider the question: are we born with a certain nature or is it conditioned in us by the world into which we're born?

     

    Consider the extreme example of child soldiers in Africa who don't think twice about taking a life.  Is that human nature or environmental conditioning?  If it's human nature, then why aren't we all murderers?  If it's conditioning, then you have to consider that greed may also be a product of conditioning.

  • Reply 14 of 27
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by eightzero View Post

     

    Apple is a corporation. Corporations are tasked by law to be self-serving. Acting otherwise is actually illegal.


     

    According to what law?

  • Reply 15 of 27
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    It's a nice gesture, but it's enough. Countries like the Philippines and Haiti need help to a much higher level than economic powerhouses like China.
    I tend to agree. The Chinese have the means if they have the will. However we must remember that there are still extremely poor regions of China.
  • Reply 16 of 27
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    sog35 wrote: »
    Apple needs to do more of this.

    Not without careful consideration of each situation and location.
  • Reply 17 of 27
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post





    I'm not hurt by anything. But it does bother me that people's first instinct is to suggest there's an ulterior motive behind it.

     

    Because there usually is.

  • Reply 18 of 27
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

     
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    People viewing this cynically (even if they approve). What a surprise. image




    Are you hurt by the possibility there is a self-serving motive behind this?

    He didn't mention Apple's motives, just the commenters'.

  • Reply 19 of 27
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post





    I'm not hurt by anything. But it does bother me that people's first instinct is to suggest there's an ulterior motive behind it.

     

    All people are self-serving. The wise ones are aware of and employ "enlightened self-interest".

  • Reply 20 of 27
    connieconnie Posts: 101member

    Apple should donate even more to create brand awareness in China. I just hope Samsung does not copy Apple by also donating for this relief effort. Samsung should rather invest in direct advertising to promote their brand in China, and not copy Apple by also donating.

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