China has labelled the iPhone as a national security threat due to its ability to collate location data.
China’s state media announced that the iPhone was a threat to security due to its location and time stamping features.
Apple began selling the iPhone in China earlier this year but now it seems that its efforts were in vain, as the Chinese media have warned against using the phone.
The People’s Public Security University of China stated in a televised news report that the data the iPhone is collecting extremely sensitive data which could be used to gather information about China’s economy. They also went as far as to say that the iPhone could be stealing “state secrets.”
This is not the only issue that Apple has run in to while selling in China. The company has also been heavily critiqued for their customer service and warranty policies which forced CEO, Tim Cook to issue a formal apology.
Smear campaigns in China for US companies are not uncommon. In fact, all the phones sold in China have location and time stamp services, it just seems that Apple has been made a target.
Apple is not the only one either. Both Facebook and Google have come under attack in China to the point that both sites are heavily restricted and even banned in some areas.
It is not yet clear how this latest report will effect Apple’s status in China.