In China, as iPhones and iPads grow in popularity, Apple has had to battle against the piracy of its products. Though it’s been a problem for some time, Apple was slow to take action against offenders, recently leaked documents from WikiLeaks have revealed.
A September 2008 cable from the Beijing embassy says Apple formed a team in March 2008 to curb piracy in China. But CNN says three years later, the piracy of consumer electronics isn’t a pressing concern to the Chinese government.
There’s been some evidence of this reported lately, and it extends to more than just Apple gadgets. In July, an American blogger living in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming uncovered five electronics retailers posing as official Apple Stores. The publicity and a request from Apple’s Shanghai office prompted Kunming city officials to investigate, and it said the stores were forced to remove all Apple trademarks and all allegedly complied. However, pictures posted online show that the stores had not changed much; many just opted for different name.
The WikiLeaks cables detail Apple’s early plans for taking on counterfeiters, which included first taking on street vendors and retailers, then going after factories, from which parts for Apple products are often swiped to build fake gadgets. In the last prong of the battle plan, Apple would reportedly target online retailers.
The cable reflects Apple’s typical clandestine modus operandi. “Low-profile raids are a good option for Apple, a company that wants to stay away from too much publicity surrounding this issue,” the cable said.
Not surprisingly, Apple reps did not respond to questions on the matter.
via WikiLeaks Cables Detail Apple’s Battle With Piracy in China | News & Opinion | PCMag.com.