Skip to main content

Apple’s Tim Cook says sorry to Chinese consumers following criticism from news media

timcookIf the boss of a major company comes forward to issue an apology about a particular matter, you know the situation must be serious. Really serious.

For the second time since taking over from Steve Jobs as Apple CEO in August 2011, Tim Cook has said sorry. The first time, back in September, was for releasing its much-criticized Maps app before it was ready. This time, his apology is directed at consumers in a country he believes will – if the tech company doesn’t mess up – overtake the US to become its biggest market in the coming years.

Recommended Videos

The apology comes in the wake of some severe criticism from the state-run Chinese media in recent weeks accusing the Cupertino company of “incomparable arrogance” when it comes to the way it treats its customers in the Asian nation.

China Central Television, for example, last month said the tech giant’s after-sales service was less than satisfactory, accusing it of giving consumers a one-year warranty when the law stated a two-year warranty was necessary. It also said the company used refurbished parts instead of new components for repairs to iDevices. Apple stayed quiet on the situation, leading to further criticism from other media outlets. Some Chinese celebrities also voiced negative opinions on various social networks.

In the wake of the criticism, China Consumers’ Association (CCA) demanded that the iPhone maker “sincerely apologize to Chinese consumers” and “thoroughly correct its problems.”

Eager to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, Cook issued an apology on Monday via the company’s Chinese website. In it he offered his “sincere apologies” for the confusion over its warranty and repair procedures, and promised to communicate better with not only consumers but also its authorized resellers.

“We are aware that a lack of communications….led to the perception Apple’s attitude was arrogant and that we do not care and attach importance to consumer feedback,” Cook said in the apology, adding, “We express our sincere apologies for any concerns or misunderstandings this gave consumers.”

Of course, there may be more to this than meets the eye. According to the NY Times, it’s been suggested that some of the celebrities who posted negative comments about the situation might not have done so spontaneously – one celebrity post, for example, ended with the words, “to publish around 8.20pm”.

Anna Han, an associate professor of law at Santa Clara University, told the NY Times the government may have used the media to attack Apple in an effort to support local companies operating in the same line of business. She added that from a cultural point of view, Apple had been wise to issue its apology.

Whether it’s enough to bring the media’s criticism to an end remains to be seen, but Apple will obviously be keen for this matter to be laid to rest as soon as possible. Apple has 11 stores in China and some 17,000 outlets selling its iDevices, with sales in the most recent quarter amounting to $6.8 billion, an increase of 67 percent on a year earlier.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Topics
Missed Prime Day? The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is still on sale at 27% off
Samsung Galaxy Tab s9 back and front visible

If you missed the tablet deals of Prime Day for any reason, the good news is that there are still some amazing discounts available on Amazon. If you don't mind going for a previous-generation model for more savings, check out the 256GB model of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, which is on sale at 27% off. From its original price of $920, it's down to just $670 for huge savings of $250, but probably not for much longer as this is a limited-time offer. You need to hurry if you don't want to miss out on this bargain!

Buy Now

Read more
OnePlus Nord 5 shows Samsung how to make the perfect Galaxy S25 FE
Rwar shell of the the OnePlus Nord 5.

About three weeks ago, a rather interesting phone landed at my doorstep. It was OnePlus’ latest budget pleaser, which neither falls in the “mid-tier” segment, nor sniffs too close to the flagship summit. Yet, the value it offers at an MSRP of around $400 redefines the whole concept of the class that we often refer to as “budget flagships.” 

The Samsung Galaxy Fan Edition phones are the quintessential definition of this honor, at least for the competition-starved US market. After using the OnePlus Nord 5, I’ve come to the realization that this is what a true Fan Edition phone should look like. One that delivers where it matters, without a confoundingly high price tag slapped on the box. I believe it's a recipe for Samsung to emulate for its next Fan Edition phone.

Read more
I’m excited for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it could let us down in one area
Google's tipped to deny its most expensive phone a top spec
Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, showing the back of the phone.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold looks set to gain a number of significant upgrades over its predecessor including a larger display, smaller hinge, bigger battery, and improved dust resistance.

The Google Pixel 10 series is tipped to arrive in the coming months - possibly as soon as August - and we're expecting to see a quartet of new devices, including the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Read more