SECURITY SPECIALas making sure that governments can’t force it to
unlock devices – but also by espousing such practices
the world over.
And that’s going to be a challenge for the company,
because one of its biggest markets – and the home of
the majority of its manufacturing – is China. Apple has
already found itself in hot water by removing apps at
the behest of the Chinese government; moreover, its
iCloud service on the Chinese mainland is run by an
in-country company, rather than by Apple itself, an
attempt to thread the needle that looks more like trying
to wash its hands of dealing with the situation.
Make no mistake: Apple has put a lot of its eggs in
the basket that is China, and that makes it particularly
vulnerable to demands from that country’s government.
While it’s not financially practical for Apple to take a
principled stand – even if it wants to – the company
had best be looking at ways to untangle itself from
China over the long term if it wants to continue
making privacy and security one of its competitive
advantages. Otherwise it starts to look like the
company can talk the talk, but not walk the walk.SECURITY SPECIAL
asmakingsurethatgovernmentscan’tforceitto
unlockdevices–butalsobyespousingsuchpractices
theworldover.
Andthat’sgoingtobeachallengeforthecompany,
becauseoneofitsbiggestmarkets–andthehomeof
themajorityofitsmanufacturing–isChina.Applehas
alreadyfounditselfinhotwaterbyremovingappsat
thebehestoftheChinesegovernment;moreover,its
iCloudserviceontheChinesemainlandisrunbyan
in-countrycompany,ratherthanbyAppleitself,an
attempttothreadtheneedlethatlooksmoreliketrying
towashitshandsofdealingwiththesituation.
Makenomistake:Applehasputalotofitseggsin
thebasketthatisChina,andthatmakesitparticularly
vulnerabletodemandsfromthatcountry’sgovernment.
Whileit’snotfinanciallypracticalforAppletotakea
principledstand–evenifitwantsto–thecompany
hadbestbelookingatwaystountangleitselffrom
Chinaoverthelongtermifitwantstocontinue
makingprivacyandsecurityoneofitscompetitive
advantages.Otherwiseitstartstolooklikethe
company cantalkthetalk,butnotwalkthewalk.