Apple's Tim Cook In China: Expect More Of These Visits By Execs

Tim Cook was spotted in China via a Weibo account (TechNode via Appleinsider).  Weibo is China's version of Twitter.  As I said before, China's growing mobile use will have influence on mobile development and directions app developers take in the future.  And the influence won't just be isolated to Apple.  Others like Google and Microsoft will be impacted as well.


While the linked posts focused on the iPhone, you have to know that there is more to it than that.  Apple recently added to its Mac OS a few social and video sharing features native to China, like Weibo



In the past, there were talks that a major hangup between Apple and China Mobile was largely due to CM's request to add apps and revenue sharing for apps which Steve Jobs has explicitly ruled out.  So, the direction of iOS development could be influenced further as Apple has staked its future in the Middle Kingdom.


How about other mobile players like Google and Microsoft.  Microsoft realized its large following could be key to getting back into the mobile game while forked versions of Android are pretty popular right now.  Google and Beijing has had a chilly relationship but Google has maintained a sizable research and development outpost in China.


For Apple, it finds its iOS following somewhat behind.  With the potential addition of China Mobile as a carrier in a year or so from now, Tim Cook and his team could be in a for a real challenge trying to meet demand with the next iPhone.

Wireless Access On Public Transportation (In Shanghai)

One of the thing that I can't get in riding city trains is the lack of wireless Internet access be it. I can get 3G on my G1 or iPhone but good luck with that when going through dead spots or tunnels. Hey, that's life right?

Well, looks like Shanghai's maglev train (you know, the fastest in the world at 250 miles per hour, yeah, that one) will be getting LTE service. So, Huawei's Australian arm is given the contract to make it happen. How are they doing? 20Mbit/s download.



After reading the post, I want it. Actually, I want both the maglev train and LTE service but I don't want to be too greedy. Just give me wifi access on typical metro rides. I don't think that's too much to ask is it? As a matter of fact, train officials can entice more riders if they offer Internet connectivity. They offer free Internet for monthly ticket holders or at a reduced access rate for access.

I'd go for that if I have the need to ride the train on a more regular basis.

More at Daily Wireless.

Note: The ironic thing is that Australia doesn't have trains this fast so by the time they have it, LTE access should be no problem.

Google Stops Censorship In China

Google has stopped censoring results in China.

Google.cn is redirected to google.hk.  Google will also indicate to users when the Beijing is trying to apply filters to results.

Hope no one at Google in China gets arrested for this.

Yahoo, MSN, Apple, and others.  Follow this example please.  May not be good for your bottomline or shareholders but, at least, you'll have a soul.

Note:  I am a shareholder in all above mentioned companies.  I don't mind taking a hit for this move.

Mobile Convergence: China And India Has It Right

I've been pushing for added mobility and wireless broadband access on Onxo since I can remember, heck, even before I started working on Onxo and sharing my thoughts with my fellow mobile warriors.

It seems like others have the right idea, in this case, China's China Mobile and China Unicom and Indiea's Bharti Airtel.  According to CBS Marketwatch, these three giant telecoms are banking on strong mobile growth for their future.  And the growth is going to come from mobile Internet and the mobile devices to handle their native mobile users.

Now, this is great.  I'm pushing for mobility and wireless broadband and Internet but being in the US, I'm happy to see things rolling along with WiMax and White spaces but I hope more will be done and more can be done.

Early, I posted about President-Elect Barack Obama's transition team and who are involved.  I've known for a while there is a heavy Silicon Valley presence.  I hope this bodes well for mobility in the next four years (eight for folks counting on a second Obama term).  However, tech visionaries does not necessarily make a great CEO (Yang) or good policy makers.

Having said that, I'm glad China and India continue to push a national agenda in the midst of global economic pains (I don't know what to accurately call it).  Here are some facts from the article:

• Lower inflation rate outpaced by disposable income means more telecom, Internet, and mobile uses.
• Lower calling rates.
• Economy of scale - 737 million users by 2012 in India alone - more than twice the US population.
• Understands the meaning of mobile convergence - I think we do in the US (Western world) but we're just going about it differently.  
• Feels even in a recession, mobile users will continue to keep on using mobile services that they find indispensable.    Onxo has posted about what consumers will least likely to give up due to financial constraints.  Mobile services was among the last mobile warriors will give up.

I think while we continue to fix our financial system and other problems plaguing our nation, we nevertheless have to keep an eye towards the future.   Anyone who has knowledge of what is going on in Russia, the Middle East, and other regions as far as mobile devices and mobile convergence is concerned, please let me know.  I love to hear about it and share it with our readers.  All mobile warriors stick together.

Source:  CBS Marketwatch 

Apple Pissed Off Beijing? Mistake or On Purpose?

Here's the gist.  Sydney Morning Herald is reporting a blogger in China Apple support told her that her access to iTunes was not being blocked at their end.  Why is this significant?


An album called Songs For Tibet was being downloaded and offered for free to Olympics athletes as a means of protest.  The album was launched on August 5 on iTunes.  The Art of Peace Foundation offered the album free of charge to the Olympians.  By downloading and and listening to the album, it was a way for the athletes to show their support for the Tibetan people.  

It not clear if this was something Apple was aware of.  After all, could Apple really not catch this before allowing music that is likely to piss off the overlords of the biggest consumer market in the world?  Well, sure.
It's possible given how stretched Apple is with the launches of iPhone worldwide and the problems they're having to deal with such as MobileMe and 3G connectivity issues.  

Plus, the title of the album sounded harmless enough.  With sounds, videos, and movies added all the time, it's entirely possible the addition of a politically charged album was given the same treatment of any other music.  According to SMH, the proceeds would go towards projects favored by the Dalai Lama.  Ouch. 

But suppose Apple did know about this.  Think differently, are they?  Just about ever Western companies have capitulated to the will of the Beijing government.  It's as if the nation of 20% of the world's population was more important than the rest of the 80%.  


I'm not going to get political here.  But folks should know what it's like to deal with the Chinese government.  A lot of times, it's their way or, well, just their way.  It's the nature of capitalism.  Just ask the Chinese guy Jerry Yang helped Beijing locked away.

That said, suppose Apple knew about the charged nature of the album and the situation it can create but decided to roll the dice and see what they come up with.  Would it be such a bad bet standing up to Beijing?

Outside of China, there are five billion plus consumers would may appreciate a company that finally stood up to a totalitarian government everyone from GM to Coke to all the foreign leaders who showed up for the opening ceremony.  Standing up to the Communist government is a claim Yahoo and Microsoft cannot claim.  For all the worth of "do no evil" mantra adopted by Google, it simply is not willing to walk away from 20% of the search market and relinquish it to Microsoft, Yahoo, or Baidu.  

Sure, Chinese patriots will rip Apple and profess never to buy a Mac or an iPod.  But there could be more outside of China just might look look at Apple's iTunes protest favorably enough to decide to make their next phone an iPhone or their next laptop a Macbook.  Imagine folks in Congress starts to mandate the federal government only deal with companies that does not bow to the will of the Chinese government.  Apple could sell more iPhones and Macs than they ever dream of in China!

What a story this would be but let's face it.  Apple is a corporate entity whose purpose to is make as much only as possible.  As digital music news said best, "Ultimately, Apple, Google and other high-flying companies are forced to modify their content and approach, or risk exclusion".  

More reading related this issue:

• Sydney Morning Herald
• digital music news
• the MacObserver
• Salon
• Rolling Stone
• Mobilewhack

We'll follow up on this once the news outlets and tech blogs pick up on this.  This could be interest if Apple affirms this ploy or an "honest mistake" by Apple.