Apple's Tim Cook flying to meet Chinese officials later in May - report

AppleInsider

Apple CEO Tim Cook is reportedly flying to Beijing later this month to meet with senior Chinese government officials -- including, unusually, officials in charge of propaganda.

The tour was revealed by a source familiar with the plan, Reuters said on Friday. The person didn't go into further detail on the matter.

Cook may have a number of issues to deal with however, one of the foremost being the April closure of the iTunes Movies and the iBooks Stores in China by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Reuters noted that the Chinese government introduced stricter rules for online publishing in March, especially for foreign businesses.

Censorship policies have meanwhile affected a number of online services owned by foreign firms.

Another possible area of discussion is encryption. Apple's refusal to bypass the passcode retry limit on the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook reportedly "raised skepticism" among Chinese officials, although the company has twice refused to hand over source code to China in as many years.

In recent weeks Apple lost a trademark dispute over the "iPhone" name, something it intends to take to the Supreme People's Court. Cook might theoretically try to influence the government's stance on trademarks and copyright and make it more copacetic to Apple business interests.

techlover

cnocbui said:

TSMC as a sole supplier could be a very risky strategy, given plate tectonics.  The recent Earthquake in Japan has apparently really messed with Sony's ability to produce camera sensors at its Kumamoto factory, with a severe disruption to supply in effect.

PS - a bit funny AI has made no mention of Tim Cooks forthcoming trip to China to talk to officials about 'stuff'.  http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/6/11606412/apple-china-books-movies-tim-cook-visit

Ask and you shall receive

cnocbui

If things don't go well for Tim, he should have his pilot file a departing flight plan for New Delhi, or maybe Taiwan.

edited May 2016

nemwan

sog35 said:

good. 

Do more of this Tim and less time on social issues.

Resolving impasses with Chinese authorities on their censorship and surveilance stances is spending time on social issues.

rogifan_new

sog35 said:

good. 

Do more of this Tim and less time on social issues.

Or at least be consistent. If he's going to speak out on social issues in the USA do so in China as well. 

iyfcalvin

When dealing with the Chinese government, it's all about the "art of palming" during your handshake.

curt12

sog35 said:

rogifan_new said:

Or at least be consistent. If he's going to speak out on social issues in the USA do so in China as well. 

Cook needs to STFU about privacy, being green, human rights, ect.  That's the governments job, non profits job, politicians. Cook needs to STFU and just give us the best products and services. That's how he can change the world.

Except privacy and the ability to communicate security are core product features.

edited May 2016

schwabsauce

You guys seem a bit oblivious about what's important to Apple's executives (and likely most of the rest of the employees). They don't care about getting an extra billion dollars. The do what they want to do. And what they want to do is alleviate some of the unspeakably insane BS that we are all inflicting upon each other.

Incidentally, doing that also happens to make them billions of dollars. It's not the other way around.

avidthinker

sog35 said:

rogifan_new said:

sog35 said:

good. 

Do more of this Tim and less time on social issues.

Or at least be consistent. If he's going to speak out on social issues in the USA do so in China as well. 

Thats why its so tricky.

Cook can preach about human rights, privacy, and being green in the USA.
But in China they abuse their workers, government has backdoors, and pollute like crazy.

IMO, Cook should just STFU about social issues.  It really brings little to no benefit to Apple, but opens a can of worms.

Cook needs to STFU about privacy, being green, human rights, ect.  That's the governments job, non profits job, politicians. Cook needs to STFU and just give us the best products and services. That's how he can change the world.

"We do things because they are right and just and that is who we are. That’s who we are as a company. I don’t…when I think about human rights, I don’t think about an ROI. When I think about making our products accessible for the people that can’t see or to help a kid with autism, I don’t think about a bloody ROI, and by the same token, I don’t think about helping our environment from an ROI point of view."

...

"If you only want me to make things, make decisions that have a clear ROI, then you should get out of the stock."  --Tim Cook


Amen, Tim.

srice

Tim will be bringing suitcase of cash.

volcan

avidthinker said:

"We do things because they are right and just and that is who we are. That’s who we are as a company. I don’t…when I think about human rights, I don’t think about an ROI. When I think about making our products accessible for the people that can’t see or to help a kid with autism, I don’t think about a bloody ROI, and by the same token, I don’t think about helping our environment from an ROI point of view."

Except when it comes to China. Don't rock the boat. Just play the game for the ROI. The only parts of that philosophy that won't piss off the Chinese government are making their factories more environmentally friendly and devices more accessible to disabled people. Right, just and human rights are out the window.

edited May 2016

volcan

sog35 said:

He has no right to throw away hundreds of billions of dollars of shareholder value to pursue his social issues.

Where did you get those figures?

Apple is number one on both Barons and Forbes most admired companies list. I don't think anyone can argue that their moral compass offers no contribution to that ranking. Being number one has its marketing advantages.

avidthinker

volcan said:

avidthinker said:

"We do things because they are right and just and that is who we are. That’s who we are as a company. I don’t…when I think about human rights, I don’t think about an ROI. When I think about making our products accessible for the people that can’t see or to help a kid with autism, I don’t think about a bloody ROI, and by the same token, I don’t think about helping our environment from an ROI point of view."

Except when it comes to China. Don't rock the boat. Just play the game for the ROI. The only parts of that philosophy that won't piss off the Chinese government are making their factories more environmentally friendly and devices more accessible to disabled people. Right, just and human rights are out the window.

Appeasement is the last thing you want to be doing with respect to the communist party.  My family is Chinese, both parents grew up during the Cultural Revolution, so I am very familiar with the party's fuckery.  You give these degenerate commies an inch and they take a country mile from you.  I hope Tim plays hardball and stands firm on the issues affecting the company.

I leave you with a hypothetical.  Suppose the CPC completely goes off the deep end and decides to ban iPhones and all other Apple products to protect Chinese device makers.  (Not that crazy of an idea, just ask Google/Facebook/Twitter).  I wonder how likely it is that this would be the straw that breaks the camel's back and becomes the catalyst for the overthrow of the government.  I mean, didn't the USSR and their satellites dissolve in part due to chronic shortages of things like women's nylons and useable refrigerators?

avidthinker

sog35 said:

avidthinker said:

sog35 said:

Thats why its so tricky.

Cook can preach about human rights, privacy, and being green in the USA.
But in China they abuse their workers, government has backdoors, and pollute like crazy.

IMO, Cook should just STFU about social issues.  It really brings little to no benefit to Apple, but opens a can of worms.

Cook needs to STFU about privacy, being green, human rights, ect.  That's the governments job, non profits job, politicians. Cook needs to STFU and just give us the best products and services. That's how he can change the world.

"We do things because they are right and just and that is who we are. That’s who we are as a company. I don’t…when I think about human rights, I don’t think about an ROI. When I think about making our products accessible for the people that can’t see or to help a kid with autism, I don’t think about a bloody ROI, and by the same token, I don’t think about helping our environment from an ROI point of view."

...

"If you only want me to make things, make decisions that have a clear ROI, then you should get out of the stock."  --Tim Cook


Amen, Tim.

Well then Tim needs to step down as CEO.

Tim Cook DOES NOT OWN APPLE. PERIOD. He has no right to throw away hundreds of billions of dollars of shareholder value to pursue his social issues.

If Cook wants to pursue social issues he should become the CEO of a non-profit.
Go waste your own money Tim.
Stop wasting company time and money for your own pleasure. 

I have been an Apple shareholder for almost ten years now, and have no problem with Tim using his position at Apple as a soapbox.  In fact, I'm incredibly proud of Apple for getting ahead of these issues, because the reality is no other public figure/entity has the will/capability to address them on the scale that Apple is able.  Think about it...who else?  The pope?  The government?  Politicians?

Also, I think this makes really good business sense in the long term.  Not only are Apple's products and build quality best-in-class, customers can sleep well at night knowing that they are indirectly helping solve the world's problems.  And hopefully, they keep coming back for more.  I'm sure there isn't a single shopper at Walmart who feels that way.

edited May 2016