AppleInsider Staff
Just days after Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook apologized to customers in China over warranty issues, his company has continued its efforts to placate the country's government by pulling a book-selling iOS application.
The App Store software was removed because it provided access to 10 titles that are banned in the country, according to the Financial Times. Among the books are three works by Chinese political activist Wang Lixiong.
One of the books was reportedly about what the author sees as the future collapse of the Chinese government. Another title dealt with the future of China's policies in Tibet.
Another book by Wang gives details on when he was detained by Chinese state security officers. While it was pulled in China, the online bookstore application remains available in other App Stores outside of the country. The name of the bookstore application was not revealed in Thursday's report.
Cook issued his apology in China earlier this week, saying that his company did not wish to seem full of "arrogance" by not addressing concerns. Those alleged warranty issues were drummed up by China's state-sponsored media, which ran a series of stories criticizing Apple in what many outsiders viewed as a coordinated attack.
China's state-sponsored media is well known for targeting foreign companies, so much so that it has become known as a "rite of passage" for international corporations. Previous targets of the Chinese media include Yum! Brands Inc. and Volkswagen AG.
Apple specifically was under fire from the media for failing to replace the back covers of iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S units after repairing the electronics inside. Under the changes announced this week, Apple will now provide customers with full iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S replacements, and will reset the hardware's warranty to one year in the event that it is replaced.
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16 Comments
Instead of doing what is right, Cook succumbs to the Communists -- weak move, IMHO.
SNAFU. It's China, what else can we expect?
[quote name="libertyforall" url="/t/156813/apple-pulls-book-selling-ios-app-in-china-due-to-government-banned-titles#post_2305057"]Instead of doing what is right, Cook succumbs to the Communists -- weak move, IMHO. [/quote] So he's wrong if he stands up to them (warranty issue) but he's also wrong if he gives them what he wants. /s
Apple is a global company and they should be follow each country's rules and adhere to local culture. It is not Apple's role to nudge another country's direction. That is the responsibilities of that countries people. What is right for us is not necessarily right for others.
China has always made it clear that they have absolute power over what can be sold and cannot be sold. International companies always have to abide with their country rules. If you think that makes Tim Cook "weak", try google and microsoft and so forth. They all have to abide with Chinese rules.