iPhone Ban Expands in China, State Funded Firms Ask Workers to leave Apple Products

Difficulties have increased for American devices maker Apple in China. Many agencies and government-funded companies in China have asked their staff not to bring iPhones and other foreign devices to the workplace. China is a big market for Apple and is also the hub of manufacturing of its iPhones.

For more than a decade, China has been trying to reduce its dependence on foreign technologies. Chinese government-linked companies have been asked to use local software and promote semiconductor manufacturing. Reuters quoted a media report as saying that in the last one month, many government firms and departments in at least eight provinces of China have instructed their staff to use devices of local brands. A request for comment sent by Reuters to Apple did not receive a response.

Earlier in September, some Chinese ministries and government bodies had asked their employees not to bring iPhones to the workplace. Apple is also preparing to reduce the manufacturing of iPhone and other devices in China. Recently, China's e-commerce platforms like Pinduoduo and Taobao had given huge discounts on Apple's new iPhone 15 series. Smartphones of this series were being sold at up to CNY 900 (approximately Rs 10,229) less than their retail price. Analysts say that the sales of iPhone 15 in China are lower than the previous iPhone series.

Apple's largest contract manufacturer Foxconn has received approval to invest one billion dollars in its factory in India. With this, it will be able to move towards creating a big manufacturing hub for Apple products outside China. It was reported in Bloomberg report that by getting the green signal to invest one billion dollars, it will be able to increase the manufacturing of iPhone in the country. This Taiwanese company does about 70 percent of the total assembly of iPhones worldwide. Last year, Foxconn's plant manufacturing Apple products was affected by the restrictions imposed in China due to Corona. Recently the company had informed about investing $600 million in two projects in Karnataka. Casing components and chip making equipment for iPhones will be made in these plants.

(This news has not been edited by the NDTV team. It is published directly from the syndicated feed.)