San Francisco, July 8: Microsoft reportedly told its China staff to use iPhones for work and drop using Android smartphones. Earlier, China allegedly restricted the use of Apple's iPhone by government staff. The country began banning American smartphones in 2023, and some reports claimed that Chinese consumers had been less interested in Apple since the Covid-19 pandemic. A new report said that Microsoft ordered the workforce to use iPhones to boost cybersecurity.

Bloomberg reported that Microsoft made a move by allowing its Chinese staff to only use iPhones at the workplace and stop using Android smartphones over cybersecurity concerns. The US-based tech giant said that it would ban the use of Android smartphones in China. As per the report, this announcement was made in September 2023 for the employees. Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal Says ‘It’s Time for Developers To Exit Google Maps’, Announces 1-Year Free Access to All Developers to Ola Maps on Krutrim AI Platform.

Microsoft will require China-based staff to use only Apple's iPhones to log into work computers or phones. The report highlighted that the latest move by the tech company is part of its "Secure Future Initiative and will apply to hundreds of workers in China Mainland. For security purposes, Microsoft would also ensure that the staff members would additionally use the Microsoft Authenticator password manager and Identity Pass app. Apple Likely To Resume iPad Manufacturing in India; Check Details.

The report highlighted that Microsoft's move showed the difference between Chinese and foreign mobile ecosystems. China has Apple's iOS, but Android is not present in the country. Each Chinese smartphone company operates its own platform, including Xiaomi, Huawei, and others. Microsoft would reportedly provide the staff using Xiaomi or Huawei devices with a new iPhone 15 as a one-time purchase. The company would also make these devices accessible across various hubs in China and Hong Kong. Microsoft started increasing security due to repeated cyberattacks from state-sponsored hackers. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 08, 2024 03:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).