Tim Cook Touts Apple's Contribution to Chinese Economy at State-Run Web Summit

[MacRumors]

Chinese developers have earned more selling apps on Apple's iOS platform than devs from any other country, Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Sunday (via Bloomberg). His comments were made in a keynote speech given at China's annual state-run World Internet Conference, which aims to develop the digital economy, while operating under the rubric of respecting the right of sovereign nations to regulate and control public internet access.

Cook said developers on its iOS platform number 1.8 million in China, collectively earning a total of $16.9 billion, which is roughly a quarter of total global App Store earnings. Apple said earlier this year that the global developer community has earned over $70 billion since the App Store launched in 2008.

Tim Cook delivers a speech at the Fourth World Internet Conference (Photo: IC)​

"The theme of this conference - developing a digital economy for openness and shared benefits - is a vision we at Apple share," Cook said. "We are proud to have worked alongside many of our partners in China to help build a community that will join a common future in cyberspace."

China's cyber regulation has stepped up in the last year, with new rules coming into force that require companies to store data locally and make data available for surveillance measures. Apple was the first foreign tech firm to announce amendments to its data storage arrangements in China, when the cybersecurity laws came into effect in June.

"Much has been said of the potential downsides of AI, but I don't worry about machines thinking like humans. I worry about people thinking like machines," he said. "We all have to work to infuse technology with humanity, with our values."

Technology of the future should have openness, creativity and safeguards to protect users while providing privacy and decency, he added.

Cook's words appeared carefully chosen so as not to upset his Chinese hosts, who routinely curtail access to online services seen as a potential threat to the country's internal cohesion. Facebook and Instagram have been blocked by China's Cyberspace Administration since 2009 and 2014, respectively. Encrypted messaging service Telegram was also blocked inside China after it became popular with the country's human rights lawyers, while several VPN apps - which are commonly used to evade censorship and access services abroad - were recently pulled from China's App Store in compliance with stricter state rules.

The Wuzhen-based conference was opened earlier on Sunday with comments from Chinese president Xi Junping, read by the head of the government's publicity department, in which Xi advocated for "cyber sovereignty", the idea that states should be permitted to manage and contain their own internet without external interference.

"Developments online are raising many new challenges to sovereignty and security, and China is willing to work with the international community to respect cyberspace sovereignty and promote partnerships," said Xi in the note. "The development of China's cyberspace is entering a fast lane... China's doors will only become more and more open."

China remains the world's biggest smartphone market, one which historically Apple has struggled to penetrate. The company shipped an estimated 11 million iPhones in China last quarter, up 40 percent from the year-ago quarter, despite six consecutive quarters of declining iPhone sales in the region.

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: Tim Cook Touts Apple's Contribution to Chinese Economy at State-Run Web Summit

 

[Red Oak]

"Cook said users of its iOS platform number 1.8 million in China"

This make zero sense. It would mean $9K for each iOS users. Do you mean "developers on its iOS platform"?

 

[timmyh]

Do you mean "developers on its iOS platform"?

I do - corrected. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Avieshek]

Chinese developers have earned more selling apps on Apple's iOS platform than devs from any other country.

Even US?

 

[MH01]

Says it all - Tim choosing his words carefully not not upset his hosts . Guys a massive hypocrite - at least the other CEOs acknowledge they are there just for profit, be it east or west, Tim fakesness when it comes to China....or west.... or both is a huge dispointment .

China is a huge market , with huge profits to be made. That is the reality , and shows how our companies kiss ass to do business .... even if they pretend to be all fluffy and nice.... realty , it's all about the $$$$

 

[Kaibelf]

Says it all - Tim choosing his words carefully not not upset his hosts . Guys a massive hypocrite - at least the other CEOs acknowledge they are there just for profit, be it east or west, Tim fakesness when it comes to China....or west.... or both is a huge dispointment .

China is a huge market , with huge profits to be made. That is the reality , and shows how our companies kiss ass to do business .... even if they pretend to be all fluffy and nice.... realty , it's all about the $$$$

Go ahead and be a foreign social justice warrior running a huge company and insult a major trading partner and manufacturing base. I’m sure the employees you’d have to lay off as a result would be comforted by it.

Or if you feel so strongly about it, go become CEO of Apple and show everyone how it’s done.

 

[Kabeyun]

Says it all - Tim choosing his words carefully not not upset his hosts . Guys a massive hypocrite - at least the other CEOs acknowledge they are there just for profit, be it east or west, Tim fakesness when it comes to China....or west.... or both is a huge dispointment .

China is a huge market , with huge profits to be made. That is the reality , and shows how our companies kiss ass to do business .... even if they pretend to be all fluffy and nice.... realty , it's all about the $$$$

To be CEO of a multinational corporation, let alone the world’s most valuable one, is also to be a politician, not just a business expert. You develop business, i.e. profit, around the world as effectively as possible. Yes, exactly; he’s choosing his words carefully. Wise politicians speak delicately when they’re trying to get their way, especially in potentially hostile territory. Wise politicians don’t stamp their feet, pout about unfairness, and take a dump in the lap of countries where they’re trying to foster business, especially countries as state-controlled at China. I’m sure it looks different from the comfort of a slacktivist’s living room couch, but that’s why he’s him and we’re us.

 

[RogerWilco]

Timothy Kowtow Cook.

 

[25ghosts]

Tim Cook should focus more on the deteriorating quality of his software rather than portraying the global player.

Either Tim doesn't use Apple's software or he has no taste !

Either way, he is turning Apple in to a Microsoft-like company. Where quality suffers.

What Steve left him, could have been sold and ran by a 5 year old and it would still take a decade to turn in to rubble. 2024 - Apple will not be anything like it is today unless they find someone with taste and mass-empathy to run and lead the company !

 

[IPPlanMan]

Says it all - Tim choosing his words carefully not not upset his hosts . Guys a massive hypocrite - at least the other CEOs acknowledge they are there just for profit, be it east or west, Tim fakesness when it comes to China....or west.... or both is a huge dispointment .

China is a huge market , with huge profits to be made. That is the reality , and shows how our companies kiss ass to do business .... even if they pretend to be all fluffy and nice.... realty , it's all about the $$$$

Exactly.

Tim willingly suspends his principles for Chinese money and production efficiency.

If Tim was really against Chinese censorship, he’d suspend business and ties with the regime and manufacture devices in other countries, including the United States.

I’m disappointed to see this hypocritical behavior by him, but not surprised.

 

[5105973]

Tim Cook should focus more on the deteriorating quality of his software rather than portraying the global player.

Either Tim doesn't use Apple's software or he has no taste !

Either way, he is turning Apple in to a Microsoft-like company. Where quality suffers.

What Steve left him, could have been sold and ran by a 5 year old and it would still take a decade to turn in to rubble. 2024 - Apple will not be anything like it is today unless they find someone with taste and mass-empathy to run and lead the company !

No, Craig’s job is to focus on the quality of the software. This sort of thing IS what the CEO is supposed to do. He is the human interface between the company and the outside world, be it the shareholders, government officials, other corporations. He has to position Apple as strategically as possible to be able to provide the growth and value that is demanded these days.

In a way I agree with you and what you’re seeing is quality sacrificed under the pressure for constant signs of growth. But that is demanded by Wall Street, it’s not any CEO’s per se. I have only come to a gradual understanding of that and have now accepted Tim’s push into China despite finding it unpalatable for so many reasons. But if he were to refuse to do it, he would be replaced with someone else who would do it.

I personally don’t think it’s healthy the way companies are only valued for growth these days. Someone close to me says he feels constantly the pressure to meet metrics that value growth of any kind over consistent quality output. It does not matter if that consistent quality sustains even insane amounts of profits. If it does not cause them to grow the way Wall Street demands, then the corporate officers are penalized. In other words, publicly held companies can no longer just “be”. It’s no longer enough to provide services for Peoria and turn a nice profit at it year after year.

Firstly your company will be bought by a larger company, and if your employees survive that sale intact, they will eventually be folded into a global multinational company and the executives who once only faced the pressure to provide services for Peoria will now have to face providing them for Switzerland and Vietnam among many other markets to be added year after year. lol, eventually these global companies are going to run out of customers on earth and Wall Street will demand we find alien life forms to sell stuff to.

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Comrade Tim

 

[killr_b]

“We all have to work to infuse technology with humanity, with our values.”
“What we propose is we should promote a controllable security and build a new order,”

Raise your hand if you're surprised "progressive liberal" timmy is actually a communist.

We don't need American freedom, just Chinese communism.

 

[Cole Slaw]

Tim is a hypocritical liberal phoney.
But I guess he has to kiss a$$ in China, because without China Apple is nothing.
Apple has virtually zero capability in actually manufacturing, well, anything.

 

[JosephAW]

Translation: "Honerable Mr. Cook, here is exactly what you will say and do and who you will attend with you at our summit otherwise you will not be invited."
Mr. Cook, (without pause) "Okay"

 

[shareef777]

Go ahead and be a foreign social justice warrior running a huge company and insult a major trading partner and manufacturing base. I’m sure the employees you’d have to lay off as a result would be comforted by it.

Or if you feel so strongly about it, go become CEO of Apple and show everyone how it’s done.

Facebook doesn't seem to have a problem with it. But you're right, only the greediest company on the planet would lay off workers just because they aren't making record profits year after year after year.

 

[ikir]

Tim is a hypocritical liberal phoney.
But I guess he has to kiss a$$ in China, because without China Apple is nothing.
Apple has virtually zero capability in actually manufacturing, well, anything.

Not true, and by that idea it is the same for every other company

 

[predation]

Says it all - Tim choosing his words carefully not not upset his hosts . Guys a massive hypocrite - at least the other CEOs acknowledge they are there just for profit, be it east or west, Tim fakesness when it comes to China....or west.... or both is a huge dispointment .

China is a huge market , with huge profits to be made. That is the reality , and shows how our companies kiss ass to do business .... even if they pretend to be all fluffy and nice.... realty , it's all about the $$$$

As my finance advisor says: #fakeittilyoumakeit. Lol

Working for Timmy.

 

[Avieshek]

Not true, and by that idea it is the same for every other company

Not entirely. Samsung for example has manufacturing in Korea, Vietnam, India and even plans to invest in Pakistan & Bangladesh in future. Carried with the fact that Apple commissions everything from manufacturing, fabrication, assembling, packaging etc that too, all of them being Chinese only, while Samsung does it out themselves so, Samsung can move to any country instantly and if Apple is ousted by the Chinese Govt. then Apple is doomed even if they move to India, they never developed an alternative of these Chinese only contractors or will have the experience to maintain their own, all of them, at once.

 

[justperry]

Haha, VPN apps are forbidden, but you can easily configure a VPN manually on an iOS device, *'stupid Chinese'.

*Stupid Chinese are those people that make these laws.

 

[alex2792]

Tim Cook also threatens to boycott a state over a tranny bathroom bill while happily selling iPhones in Saudi Arabia. I think it’s safe to say that he’s a hypocrite of the highest order.

 

[Kabeyun]

Tim is a hypocritical liberal phoney.

The right wingnuts have been trying to destroy the word “liberal” for quite some time. You’re sandwiching it between two negative words, so I assume this is your intent too. So enlighten us, which definition of liberal is so disgusting to you (quoting the dictionary here):
1. a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties;
2. marked by generosity
3. broadminded, counter to authoritarianism
4. developing general intellectual capacities such as reason and judgment
5. willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas

Am I missing a current definition that’s so horrific, or are you just trying to destroy like a perfectly good word standing for good things via proximity to bad things?

 

[Naraxus]

Cook's words appeared carefully chosen so as not to upset his Chinese hosts,.....

As expected Cook the Coward said nothing more than the usual platitudes he's been saying over the years so as not to rock his slave labor gravytrain.

Such a despicable CEO....

 

[simply258]

Apple keynotes should be conducted wearing something like that, not looking like they’re on a weekend outing.

 

[mariusignorello]

The right wingnuts have been trying to destroy the word “liberal” for quite some time. You’re sandwiching it between two negative words, so I assume this is your intent too. So enlighten us, which definition of liberal is so disgusting to you (quoting the dictionary here):
1. a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties;
2. marked by generosity
3. broadminded, counter to authoritarianism
4. developing general intellectual capacities such as reason and judgment
5. willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas

Am I missing a current definition that’s so horrific, or are you just trying to destroy like a perfectly good word standing for good things via proximity to bad things?

And the left wing nuts have been trying to destroy “conservative” too. Just thought I’d mention it.

Anyways, this is so hypocritical of him. If he was really against Chinese practices he’d take the losses and do business elsewhere. But he’s not willing to do so, so take it for what it is.