Skip to main content

Tim Cook lines up meetings with Chinese government to discuss issues

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has plans to fly to China at the end of May for several meetings with government officials. Although this is far from his first visit to the country, nor his first meeting with representatives of the ruling party, this one is critical as Apple has faced severe difficulties in the country as of late.

Apple has yet to confirm the visit, but Reuters sources “familiar with the matter” are confident it will take place. This is a very poignant time for one, too.

Recommended Videos

Although Apple is a dominant force the world over and is on and off its most valuable company, that doesn’t mean it holds quite the same sway in every market. China is Apple’s second-most profitable country, but it has seen smartphone sales drop for the first time in recent months, and the loss of a trademark filing there has put the iPhone brand in jeopardy.

Apple has also faced difficulties with the Chinese government shutting down its book and and film services, as it continues a push to control media availability within the country. This has gone hand in hand with the current president’s new drive to reduce a reliance on international technology firms.

Part of that move could be to limit the potential for foreign intelligence agencies to spy on Chinese citizens through hardware or software solutions.

These are no doubt issues that Cook will be discussing when he gets his special access to some of the most powerful people in China later this month. However, he may also talk over company’s unwillingness to weaken security on an iPhone for the FBI.

While that might not directly be related to China, the government and authorities there are looking to gain much more control over technology. Knowing that a company like Apple would refuse similar requests if it made them has purportedly made officials there rather nervous.

Do you think Tim Cook will bow to certain pressures from the government, or remain true to the values he’s championed in recent discussions of Apple’s run-in with the FBI?

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
iPhone 7 owners are getting $200 in class action lawsuit, and here’s how you can track yours
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Settlement payout from the iPhone 7 class action lawsuit against Apple are starting to roll out. Those who participated in the class action lawsuit have started to receive payments, with amounts varying based on whether you spent any money on repairing the iPhone 7 or the iPhone 7 Plus.

Some of the co-applicants in the lawsuit have started to receive around $200 as part payment from the $35 million settlement, 9to5Mac reported. While the payout is less than the maximum of $350 initially approved by the court, it should still feel satisfactory to the appellants.

Read more
Apple is no longer working on smart glasses to rival Meta
Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer smart glasses

It's been a rumor for some time now that Apple had a pair of AR glasses in development, but a new report from Mark Gurman says the company has cancelled the project. Apple has expressed a lot of interest in the AR/VR space, but its first attempt with the Vision Pro didn't make the splash the company expected. Its over-the-top price and more professionally-focused applications led to fewer sales and a lot of excess stock.

The goal was to create a competitor to the Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, but Gurman says the cancellation comes in the wake of an attempt to change and improve the design of the glasses. The first version of the glasses would link with an iPhone, but its limited power meant applications were limited — and the demands of the device also had an impact on phone battery life. Apple pivoted and focused on linking the glasses with a Mac instead, but that was met with poor evaluations. The development team reportedly dealt with frequently-changing goals, adding to the difficulty, until the project was cancelled.

Read more
Microsoft is making a major change to using your iPhone in Windows
The Dell XPS 13 on a table with the Start Menu open.

In a recent Windows Insider Blog post, Microsoft announced it's adding the option for iPhone users to access their phones from the Start menu. Thanks to a special widget next to the Start menu, when you connect your phone, you can see data such as notifications, battery indicators, recent contacts, connection status, and more.

To enjoy this feature, you must use the recent Windows 11 preview build from the Dev and Beta channels, and you must be a Windows Insider. You must also update the Phone Link app to version 1.24121.30.0 or higher, have a Microsoft account, and have a PC that supports Bluetooth LE. Microsoft said it does not support PCs running Pro Education or Education SKUs. Even if this doesn't affect you, the update is rolling out in phases, so reaching your PC might take some time if you don't already have it.

Read more