China

How Eastern European attackers hacked Apple

Ed Sutherland ∙ February 20, 2013

Investigators now believe a group of sophisticated Eastern European criminal hackers are responsible for a cyberattack on Apple and other U.S. technology and media firms. Until today, those probing the computer break-ins thought China was behind the electronic assaults. In Apple's case, malware placed on an iPhone developer website may have been used to 'bait' visitors, according to one report Wednesday.

According to Bloomberg, which anonymously cited people close to law enforcement, malware which other victims described as "sophisticated," was placed on the popular developer forum to potentially gain access to data stored on corporate computers...

Apple: yes, we were hacked, here’s your fix

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated October 27, 2016

Apple is just the latest technology firm to announce it was the victim of hackers. Tuesday, the iPhone maker announced a limited number of employee computers were affected, however software would be released today protecting consumers. The malware infected a limited number of Macs through a vulnerability in the Java plug-in for browsers, the company confirmed.

The announcement - unprecedented from the usually tight-lipped company - included a statement by Apple attempting to calm consumer fears, saying there was "no evidence" that any data leaked out. This comes on the heels Facebook had also been targeted by hackers. Friday, the social networking giant said hackers based in China breached employee laptops, but no Facebook user data was taken.

UPDATE: less than three hours later, Apple has pushed out a Java update to patch the vulnerability...

China now largest global market for smart devices

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

It wasn't long ago we were writing that China was on the verge of passing the United States as the largest market for mobile devices, namely smartphones. That time apparently is now. By the end of February, China will have 246 million active smart devices, just ahead of the U.S., which will have 230 million installed Android and iOS devices, one analytics firm announced Monday.

That ranking is unlikely to change, according to Flurry, which tracks mobile devices sessions around the world. Why? Simple math: China has 1.3 billion residents, while the U.S. population is around 310 million. The U.S. smart device base is still five times that of the United Kingdom, according new data points...

New map graphic shows how massive Apple’s supply chain really is

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

When you think about Apple's supply chain, the first—and only, for some—place that comes to mind is China. Images start propagating in the mind of oft-reported impoverished plants with thousands of factory workers building iPhones and iPads. But there's much more to it.

The truth is, Apple's supply chain is far more expansive, reaching all the way around the globe. As this new interactive map shows, the company receives components from suppliers, and production support, from the United States, Australia, Brazil and several other places...

How Apple sales are hitting a language barrier

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Do you need another metric to follow in the race between Apple and Android? How about language?

That's the focus of a new report suggesting Apple's iPhone is predominantly focused on English-speaking nations while Android-powered Samsung smartphones are popular in Asia, Africa and South America, where English-speaking consumers are a minority.

After sifting through the Twitter accounts of both Apple and Samsung, a Saudi Arabian researcher at King Saud University (KSU) found 75 percent of Apple's followers spoke English, while about 35 percent of Samsung's online fans were non-English speakers...

iPhone 5S and 5-inch iPhone 6 reportedly spotted at Apple supplier

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

The rumor mill has been on fire over the past 2 months with talk of Apple's next-generation handsets. And so far there's been 3 recurring theories: an iPhone 5S, a 'budget' iPhone for emerging markets, and an iPhone 6 with a larger 4.9-inch display.

Well today we're adding another point for the first and last theories. A new report out of China claims that both a familiar-looking iPhone 5S, and an all new iPhone 6 with a near-5-inch display have been spotted in one of Apple's supplier factories...

iPhone 5 does little to improve Apple’s standing in China

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Even though Apple isn't one to "blindly pursue market share", China has risen to become its second biggest market in terms of revenue, right behind the United States. In fact, CEO Tim Cook is convinced that in the near future “China will become Apple’s largest market”. But despite recently introducing a new interest-free payment option and two million sales during the opening weekend, that wasn't enough to curb China's explosive growth of Android cheapos. And as price-sensitive shoppers continue to favor attractively-priced Android handsets over the pricey Apple smartphone, the iPhone 5 has done little in terms of moving the needle...

Talk about duopoly: Apple, Android ship 92 percent of all smartphones

Ed Sutherland ∙ January 28, 2013

We've said it before, and yet another analyst confirms it: the smartphone market is a duopoly of Apple and Android. The two firms control 92 percent of the market, according to Strategy Analytics researchers. What does this mean? Of the 217 million smartphones shipped during the final quarter of 2012, 200 million were powered either by iOS or Android.

The concentration of the smartphone market in two hands is just the latest indication of an industry-wide consolidation. After mobile consumers in North America and Western Europe spent 2011 shifting from simple handsets to more capable phones, global smartphone growth in 2012 slowed to 43 percent from 64 percent...

Confirmed: Apple’s new R&D center going live this summer in Shanghai

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Earlier in the month, the major Chinese web portal Tencent claimed Apple was looking to establish a research and development center in Beijing and last week Cnet China corroborated the story, but noted that the rumored six-story facility with over 100,000 square feet of space is actually going up in Shanghai. Today, a new report from another Chinese news site give us more in way of details...

Apple drops supplier after audit finds underage workers

Cody Lee ∙ January 25, 2013

Apple released its latest Supplier Responsibility report late last night, detailing 339 audits focused on the plants and suppliers that help make its hardware. These were internal audits, which are separate from those performed by the Fair Labor Association.

While Apple was quick to point out supplier compliance, an impressive 92%, it also mentioned that it has severed its relationship with a China-based third-party labor supplier after discovering a conspiracy to employ dozens of underage workers...

Another reason for budget iPhone: China’s tiny Coolpad outselling Apple

Ed Sutherland ∙ January 23, 2013

Those encouraging Apple to introduce a less-pricey iPhone to compete against Android in places such as China have even more ammunition.

In a David and Goliath tale, a tiny Chinese company armed with a sub-$100 smartphone is outselling Apple's iPhone, prompting some local observers to wonder whether the California-based gadget maker can ever overcome inexpensive rivals.

From analysts to former Apple CEOs come recommendations that the company do more to attract China's middle class, now drawn to Android devices. While Apple reportedly considers offering a cheaper iPhone starting at $99 later this year, the Android-based Coolpad is already outselling the iPhone in China and at one-fifth the price of current iPhones...

Apple’s ‘Red Friday’ sale set to take place on January 25

Cody Lee ∙ January 22, 2013

Apple announced its annual Lunar New Year sale last night, a one day shopping event for Asian countries that is similar to November's Black Friday event. The sale, dubbed "Red Friday," is set to take place on January 25.

As with its popular Black Friday event, Apple will be offering up deals on its Macs, iPads, and iPod products, as well as many of its in-house accessories like the Magic Mouse, Bluetooth keyboard and Smart Cover...