President Trump added five more Chinese companies to the U.S. blacklist. This means they can’t buy U.S. components.
TV+ Cornered, Apple's Tariff Stance – TMO Daily Observations 2019-06-20
Charlotte Henry and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to talk about how Disney+ has cornered TV+, and about Apple’s tariff stance.
Apple Could Shift 30% of Output From China
Apple is considering moving between 15% and 30% of its output away from China as a result of trade tensions and a number of other issues.
Chinese Move to Boycott Apple Because of Huawei
Apple and Huawei are caught in the trade war between China and the United States. There is a growing ‘Boycott Apple’ movement in China.
Increased Tariffs Could Raise iPhone XS Price by $160
Following an increase of tariffs on Chinese goods by the Trump administration on Friday, today China retaliated, and the iPhone XS price could be affected.
Apple Earnings Aftermath – TMO Daily Observations 2019-05-01
Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Apple’s earnings report and add a dash of speculation.
iPhone China Sales Down 30% in Q1 2019
Apple’s iPhone China sales are down 30% in Q1 2019. Huawei continues to dominate, capturing 34% of China’s smartphone market.
Apple’s performance in China is concerning, given that the worst quarter for iPhone shipments is usually Q2 or Q3, not Q1 when new devices are still fresh. Apple has acted to cut iPhone retail prices, which has largely relieved the pressure from its channel partners.
I wonder how much of iPhone sales in China were impacted by Chinese companies encouraging employees to boycott Apple in favor of Huawei.
China Bans the Word ‘Leica’ Online
The Leica ad celebrating photojournalism sparked outcry in China because of Tiananmen Square. China banned the word “Leica” on social media.
Here's Why Grindr is a Threat to our National Security
Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd, owner of Grindr, is trying to sell it after the U.S. government raised national security concerns.
Cord Cutting Arguments, Apple's Policy Stance – TMO Daily Observations 2019-03-05
Bryan Chaffin & John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss arguments about cord cutting and Apple’s policy (not political) decisions.
American Companies Help China With DNA Collection
American companies like Thermo Fisher have helped Chinese DNA collection so the authoritarian country can track Uighurs.
Apple and Alipay Launch China iPhone Deal
Apple and Alipay partner to launch a US$30/month China iPhone deal. Shoppers can borrow interest-free money for Apple purchases.
This Website Exposes Apple Censorship in China
A new website called AppleCensorship.com exposes how the company censors apps in China at the behest of the government.
A new website exposes the extent to which Apple cooperates with Chinese government internet censorship, blocking access to Western news sources, information about human rights and religious freedoms, and privacy-enhancing apps that would circumvent the country’s pervasive online surveillance regime.
I’m a fan of Apple, privacy, and Apple’s stance on privacy. That being said I think whenever Apple mentions privacy on its website there should be an asterisk with fine print saying: “We believe privacy is a fundamental human right except in these cases.”
Unicorn Born in China every 3.8 Days in 2018
97 tech unicorns, companies valued at over $1 billion, were formed in China in 2018. That’s the equivalent of one launching in the country every 3.8 days.. However, Bloomberg News reported that this pace of creation actually slowed down during the fourth quarter of the year. Only 11 unicorns launched in those three months. Instead of startups, large tech firms reasserted their position. The Chinese economic slowdown also contributed to this.
China spawned 97 unicorns last year with a combined valuation of 1.2 trillion yuan ($178 billion) across sectors from consumer internet to online shopping and electric vehicles, according to a report published by consultancy Hurun. That’s about one unicorn born every 3.8 days. But of those, 11 were created in the December quarter, down from more than 30 in the previous three months.
Here's Why iPhone Assembly Doesn't Happen Here
Apple relies on China for a huge part of its manufacturing needs. But why can’t the company bring it back to the United States? Custom screws.
The challenges in Texas illustrate problems that Apple would face if it tried to move a significant amount of manufacturing out of China. Apple has found that no country — and certainly not the United States — can match China’s combination of scale, skills, infrastructure and cost.
Manufacturing and cheap labor are the reasons why Apple and other companies go to China. The GOP can talk about bringing jobs like that back, but it’s not an easy problem to solve.
Chinese Think-Tank Blasts Apple's Taiwan and Hong Kong References
A Chinese think-tank criticized Apple, Amazon and a number of other firms for the way they reference Taiwan and Hong Kong, Reuters reported. Tawain is considered a wayward-province by China. Hong Kong was returned to China by the British in 1997 and is a semi-autonomous region. Apple is amongst a number of firms that refers to both Hong Kong and Tawain as separate from mainland China, something the Chinese government has been trying to crack down on recently.
China last year ramped up pressure on foreign companies including Marriott International and Qantas for referring to Taiwan and Hong Kong as separate from China in drop down menus or other material. The report was co-written by [Chinese Academy of Social Sciences] CASS and the Internet Development Research Institution of Peking University. An official at the Internet Development Research Institution told Reuters that it had not yet been published to the public and declined to provide a copy.
HomePod Coming to China and Hong Kong January 18
Apple’s HomePod is finally going to make it to Hong Kong and mainland China, nearly a year after it was originally released.
Tim Cook Is a Failure at Operations
Operations are supposed to be what Tim Cook does best. Under Steve Jobs he was the Chief Operating Officer at Apple. And while he may have done a great job there, he is a failure at it as CEO.
Chinese Hackers Threaten the Internet and Democracy
Over the past decade Chinese hackers have been increasingly attacking the United States and other countries that threaten the hegemony of The Party.
Many thought the internet would bring democracy to China. Instead it empowered rampant government oppression, and now the censors are turning their attention to the rest of the world.
Chinese hacking groups fall under the category of Advanced Persistent Threat (APT). The United States and China have this weird, sadomasochistic relationship, and while I don’t believe in trade wars, I think it’s important we send a message that the U.S. won’t tolerate such egregious behavior from our partners.
Will Apple Focus on Innovating and What Would Mac Spinoff Look Like, with John Kheit - ACM 495
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit chew on Apple’s rare guidance warning like the mangy junk yard dogs that they are. They also discuss innovation, scale, how a giant Apple should be structured, and what a Macintosh, Inc. spinoff might look like. It’s a rollicking episode, and you’re cordially invited to listen in!
