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Apple CEO Tim Cook to Attend China's World Internet Conference Next Week

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Apple CEO Tim Cook will attend China's state-run internet conference next week, reports the Wall Street Journal. The annual World Internet Conference starts on Sunday in Wuzhen and is organized by the central government's Cyberspace Administration.

According to the conference's website, other foreign executives and officials set to attend include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Facebook VP Vaughan Smith, LinkedIn co-founder and VP Allan Blue, and Microsoft executive VP Harry Shum.

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The event will host a range of discussions including the future of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and methods of combating criminal activity and terrorism online, all of which feed into the summit's main aim of advancing the digital economy "for openness and shared benefits". What the press material doesn't mention is the Cyberspace Administration's role in online censorship and its history of blocking access within China to unapproved sites and internet services.

Skype became the latest victim of its strict internet filters when it was removed from the App Store last month. Earlier this year, Apple was forced to remove many VPN apps from the App Store in China due to the administration's regulations, while other apps affected in the past or present include WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and the New York Times app.

During a Q3 earnings call in August, Cook said Apple believes in engaging with governments around the world even when it disagrees with rules or restrictions. Regarding the removal of VPN apps from China's App Store, Cook said that over time Apple hoped to see the restriction loosened, because "innovation requires freedom to collaborate and communicate".
Some folks have tried to link it to the [Apple-FBI dispute] last year -- they're very different. In the case of the US, the law in the US supported us. It was very clear. In the case of China, the law is also very clear there, and like we would if the US changed the law here, we would have to abide by it in both cases. That doesn't mean we don't state our point of view, in the appropriate way -- we always do that.
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To what extent Cook will voice concerns about Chinese law at the summit is unclear, however his attendance reflects the country's growing importance to Apple's business as it seeks to boost revenue in the region. Apple shipped an estimated 11 million iPhones in China last quarter, up 40 percent from the year-ago quarter, according to research firm Canalys. The strong growth put an end to six consecutive quarters of declining iPhone sales in the region. However, that growth could be short lived.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sales have quickly "run out of steam" in mainland China, despite being heavily discounted by online retailers, according to the South China Morning Post. And while the iPhone X could help Apple in the fourth quarter, its high price and supply constraints might inhibit the company's growth in China in the short term, according to Canalys.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple CEO Tim Cook to Attend China's World Internet Conference Next Week
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/12/02/apple-ceo-to-attend-china-world-internet-summit/
Hey Tim:

Manufacture your phones in the USA, and refuse to ship to China until they change their ways.

Sure you’ll take a hit on revenues, and you’ll have to invest in domestic manufacturing and adjust your pricing, but do you care more about your “Freedom” values or the money?

Put up or shut up on your virtue-signaling.

Thanks.
 
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An
IPPlanMan said:
Hey Tim:

Manufacture your phones in the USA, and refuse to ship to China until they change their ways.

Sure you’ll take a hit on revenues, and you’ll have to invest in domestic manufacturing and adjust your pricing, but do you care more about your “Freedom” values or the money?

Put up or shut up on your virtue-signaling.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
lol at anyone still using term “virtue-signaling”...
 
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Avieshek said:
China: Censorship

Cook: Yeah..
Click to expand...

China: Sovereign nation

Apple: Not a nation and not from China

US: Not the world’s masters
[doublepost=1512229964][/doublepost]
IPPlanMan said:
Hey Tim:

Manufacture your phones in the USA, and refuse to ship to China until they change their ways.

Sure you’ll take a hit on revenues, and you’ll have to invest in domestic manufacturing and adjust your pricing, but do you care more about your “Freedom” values or the money?

Put up or shut up on your virtue-signaling.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Do you also demand every other company do this, and are all of your clothes made in the USA and your food grown domestically? If not, whatever.
 
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Kaibelf said:
China: Sovereign nation

Apple: Not a nation and not from China

US: Not the world’s masters
[doublepost=1512229964][/doublepost]

Do you also demand every other company do this, and are all of your clothes made in the USA and your food grown domestically? If not, whatever.
Click to expand...

Don’t change the subject. I’m talking about Apple and its habit of virtue-signaling.
 
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IPPlanMan said:
Hey Tim:

Manufacture your phones in the USA, and refuse to ship to China until they change their ways.

Sure you’ll take a hit on revenues, and you’ll have to invest in domestic manufacturing and adjust your pricing, but do you care more about your “Freedom” values or the money?

Put up or shut up on your virtue-signaling.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
He’ll also have to invest in domestic education if he wants to build phones in the US.
 
riverfreak said:
He’ll also have to invest in domestic education if he wants to build phones in the US.
Click to expand...

The assembly part is mostly done by semi literate farmers and underage workers. You don’t need a PHD to screw and glue parts together. Hell, a monkey can probably be trained to do that job.
 
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IPPlanMan said:
Laughing at it? Why?

Why is he going to a regime that engages in censorship?

Why does he economically support a regime that enages in censorship?

Apple could manufacture in other countries, but it doesn’t.

He puts money above censorship. What a shame.
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It's all about profits . Tim lectures western counties as a social warrior , though is a complete hypocrite come China , and it's not about making the devices , it's sales .... he knows China is already a bigger markert outside of US overtaking Europe .

It's all about sales .... china sales jump
And tims says how high , it's huge markert sales wise , hence the recent keynotes and pro china focus ... sales sales
 
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alex2792 said:
The assembly part is mostly done by semi literate farmers and underage workers. You don’t need a PHD to screw and glue parts together. Hell, a monkey can probably be trained to do that job.
Click to expand...

Some might argue we don’t have enough semi literate farmers or underage workers. We definitely don’t even enough PhDs. And we sure as heck don’t have enough monkeys!

Edit: I meant to say: we certainly have enough semi literate farmers and way too many underage kids with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement. I myself lam clearly semi literate so am looking for new opportunities.
 
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Kaibelf said:
Do you also demand every other company do this, and are all of your clothes made in the USA and your food grown domestically? If not, whatever.
Click to expand...

No, but Apple, especially during Cook's CEO reign has publicly inserted itself into social & political debate with regards to equality, neutrality, opposing built-in backdoors for authorities, and maintaining 100% encryption... Most other companies are either not vocal about it, or just don't care.

But all of that goes out the window when they try to invest in China and get their devices manufactured there because of cost. They have a massive amount of resources, so if they really wanted to, they could set up manufacturing in various countries around the world.

But they won't, because the board of directors would never allow it, because they represent the shareholders and not people's rights. It's all about the benjamins, much of which is never taxed properly because of Apple's various tax avoidance schemes.
 
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HiVolt said:
No, but Apple, especially during Cook's CEO reign has publicly inserted itself into social & political debate with regards to equality, neutrality, opposing built-in backdoors for authorities, and maintaining 100% encryption... Most other companies are either not vocal about it, or just don't care.

But all of that goes out the window when they try to invest in China and get their devices manufactured there because of cost. They have a massive amount of resources, so if they really wanted to, they could set up manufacturing in various countries around the world.

But they won't, because the board of directors would never allow it, because they represent the shareholders and not people's rights. It's all about the benjamins, much of which is never taxed properly because of Apple's various tax avoidance schemes.
Click to expand...

Tim Cook is a phony, if he really believed in all the SJW crap then he would be personally selling gay pride watch bands in Saudi Arabia while telling the Chinese how they need to hire more minorities to “diversify” the workforce at Foxconn plants.
 
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IPPlanMan said:
Hey Tim:

Manufacture your phones in the USA, and refuse to ship to China until they change their ways.

Sure you’ll take a hit on revenues, and you’ll have to invest in domestic manufacturing and adjust your pricing, but do you care more about your “Freedom” values or the money?

Put up or shut up on your virtue-signaling.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Economically I can only see two other places that could assemble and potentially manufacture iPhones very cheaply: India (Apple has already engaged into), and sonwhere in western or Southern Africa (pay rates/currency conversion). Assembly and manufacturing plants will be needed within Africa but I’m unsure how politically advantageous it could or could not be for Apple? Routing of components could offer greater expense to Apple.

Should the cost of iPhones rise to $1500US would you be willing to purchase if made in the USA was done? $1700/1800?

alex2792 said:
The assembly part is mostly done by semi literate farmers and underage workers. You don’t need a PHD to screw and glue parts together. Hell, a monkey can probably be trained to do that job.
Click to expand...

Why are we still relegating simians are unintelligent species in this day and age? They use tools, think of their prides safety, have social hierarchy, can learn sign language, have a language of their own, build their own homes (nests), and explicitly share and express emotions. So where are we using “monkey” as if they don’t have intelligence or as simple minded beasts?
 
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IPPlanMan said:
Hey Tim:

Manufacture your phones in the USA, and refuse to ship to China until they change their ways.

Sure you’ll take a hit on revenues, and you’ll have to invest in domestic manufacturing and adjust your pricing, but do you care more about your “Freedom” values or the money?

Put up or shut up on your virtue-signaling.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Tim wants to give the phone away in remaining markets they want to be dominate. Get the market share. Then, change the rules.
[doublepost=1512248601][/doublepost]
k2director said:
How about Tim stays home and works on fixing Apple’s broken culture that produces so many bugs, complicated UIs and missed delivery dates? Apple has been steadily losing its hard won reputation for quality and it’s ultimately Tim’s responsibility.
Click to expand...

Tim is done with the U.S. He knows he's conquered it. Look at the money thrown at apple
by apple lovers. He's checked out and moved on.
 
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Kaibelf said:
China: Sovereign nation

Apple: Not a nation and not from China

US: Not the world’s masters
[doublepost=1512229964][/doublepost]

Do you also demand every other company do this, and are all of your clothes made in the USA and your food grown domestically? If not, whatever.
Click to expand...

IF you don't like what China's rules are, get rid of your stuff made it China. I personally don't care a bit as what China does in their country. IF I thought China would put the screws to NK, I would totally suport that.
 
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