Following concerns that Apple products represent a security threat, China’s government has chosen to ban its employees from using iPads and MacBooks.
Bloomberg reports that the Chinese government has removed ten Apple products — including the iPad, iPad Mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro — from its procurement list. That means that employees will no longer be able to order the products. The news wire cites “government officials familiar with the matter” who have explained that the decision is based on “security concerns.”
It follows a report by a massively influential Chinese state broadcaster, which described the iPhone as a “national security concern” because of its location-tracking functionality. Security concerns or otherwise, it sends a strong and clear message to the US: Western products aren’t welcome in China. The news will do little to soothe the ongoing digital tension between American and China. [Bloomberg]