Chinese state-run newspaper accuses Apple of lacking openness

The People's Daily newspaper has slammed Apple's behavior in China, accusing the company of being "empty and self-praising" in the way it has shrugged off customer complaints and refused journalists' requests for interviews. The paper's comments, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, refer to a saga that has been brewing for a while, in which Chinese customers have claimed they're not receiving the same quality of after-sales care as those in the US. These allegations were given prominence in a recent show on national TV, prompting Apple to rebut them in a press release. It was this press release, claiming that Apple's warranties are "more or less the same... all over the world", that evidently provoked the ire of the People's Daily. And since the paper is a mouthpiece for the Communist Party that runs China, its outburst could signify a worsening in relations at the highest levels of government -- potentially making it harder for Apple to conduct its growing business in that country. Whatever Apple does next, we'd suggest it doesn't point out the obvious irony in this situation, as that might only make things worse.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Apple

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Source: Wall Street Journal