The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that China has instructed its government officials to stop using Apple iPhones and other foreign-branded cell phones for official functions.
This action follows limits on technology that Western nations have placed on Chinese tech companies. Beijing’s main goal is to tighten information security regulations, while domestic businesses want to grow their high-tech sectors to compete with their powerful American rivals.
The Wall Street Journal claims that senior officials have recently communicated this ban’s instructions to their subordinates.
Apple’s position in China, the company’s second-largest market after the United States, may be impacted by this new Beijing legislation because the Chinese market accounts for about one-fifth of Apple’s revenue.
The timing of this breakthrough is significant since Apple is about to reveal its newest lineup of handsets, the iPhone 15 series. Any moves that could impede iPhone sales in China could have an impact on Apple’s overall financial results.
Additionally, China’s action could be seen as an effort to encourage the use of Chinese brands domestically.
The decision was made amid claims that Huawei, a leading manufacturer of smartphones in China, has produced a cutting-edge 7nm CPU for the Mate 60 Pro.
Given the difficulties that Huawei has encountered as a result of U.S. sanctions, the introduction of the Mate 60 Pro with an independent processor represents a major victory for both China and Huawei.
In addition to Huawei, it is important to note that the US has been considering limitations on the well-known ByteDance app TikTok, with certain states, like Montana, already declaring bans on the website.
A closer examination of the reciprocal constraints between countries has the potential to isolate markets globally, raising questions about the future of international trade and cooperation in technology.
