China is working on the possible expansion of the iPhone ban for government-backed agencies and state companies.
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Agencies Tell Staff to not Bring iPhones at Work
In a Bloomberg report, some agencies are already implementing the ban by instructing its employees to not bring iPhones to work. In Beijing, the government is planning to extend the restriction on state-owned enterprises and other government-owned organizations. Aside from iPhones, other foreign-branded devices might be banned for work.
According to The Wall Street Journal article, the decision was encouraged as a way to control the flow of sensitive information outside the borders of China. Moreover, Beijing is said to be working towards an enhanced cybersecurity.
Previously, the United States imposed a banned against Huawei, which is a popular Chinese brand for smartphones. In addition, US has also advised that government officials to avoid using TikTok.
Apple, Foreign Brands's Revenue Might Suffer
If the ban pushes further, Apple and other foreign brands will have to see a big cut on their revenue on China. Apple's position on the global market might be threatened as China-based users will be forced to use their local brands.
Likewise, it is no secret that China provides a big labor factories for iPhones. Hence, the long-term impact of the ban might also affect millions of Chinese employees.
While it is still unclear on how many companies will abide with the new restriction, government agencies will still have to finalized the guidelines on how they will impose the ban on their staff.
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