Date of publication: 29-03-2013
State broadcaster China Central television (CCTV) took the first bite. The people's daily followed, and now others like Guangming daily and The Global Times joined the fight to his.
Chinese State media has its pile up the pressure on Apple as the u.s. tech giant criticized during the CCTV annual show on March 15, on the occasion of the day of the consumer of the world.
This week alone, the people's daily has carried articles four days in a row to lash out at Apple for allegedly discriminating against its customers in China.
' Why is it that Apple is so incredibly brutal and arrogant in China when not dare to be so in the United States and other countries? "asked a commentator in the people daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party. It also compared Apple with a wolf pretending to be innocent.
Many observers are wondering about the real reasons behind the attacks coordinated media.
China could be reprisals against the problems of the tech behemoth Huawei in the US? Or is it Apples lack of ads in the State media?
"I wish I knew," said Bill Bishop, a Beijing-based analyst and founder of The Sinocism China newsletter, The Straits Times.
There are people who say that there is nothing more to it than Apple behaving badly.
"When it comes to China, a market with great potential, Apple has benefited from his fans crazy enthusiasm using incredulous sales tactics," wrote blogger Shu Shusi, a regular commentator on consumer issues.
Not only are iPhones later released and sold at a higher price in China than elsewhere, their after-sales service is bad as well, he added.
Apple would have violated Chinese regulations, others noted. CCTV on Wednesday said consumers had complained that Apple only a one-year warranty for the MacBook Air in China, offered when the country rules a two-year warranty for the main laptop share mandate.
Then there is the feeling that Apple had to be remorseful for not enough a lesson taught.
"Faulty companies" featured on CCTV of 315 Gala evening, such as Netease, Chinese had net fixed are quick to apologize and peace. But Apple insisted that his China-customers enjoy the highest service standards.
Some wonder whether the attacks just a case of tit for tat.
A US Congressional report last October accused Huawei of being a security threat.
"Just like the United States attacked Huawei, China takes it out on Apple in revenge," claimed "on his Sina Weibo microblog Blank Neo".
Another possible explanation could be Beijing's unease with the wide use of iPhones in China.
"There is a serious desire for an official native mobile operating system," noted Bishop.
Also, the iPhone OS can be seen as a threat by the external security if it is a closed and not easily controlled. The Android operating system, by contrast, is open and so less of a threat, say observers.
The attacks could be a way of attracting eyeballs, proposed an advocate of consumer rights.
"Apple has a huge customer base in China. The news value is high, "said Wang Hai.
What can Apple do to stop the rash of attacks?
Bishop said: "I expect Apple to have to change its policy, explicit public repentance, and then this particular storm will blow over.
"They may also buy some ads on cable TV, if Baidu (search engine) and many other Chinese companies that already on the receiving end did."
Post a Comment
Post a Comment