Tim Cook: Apple 'believes in engaging with governments even when we disagree'
Apple removed privacy software from its App Store in China because it had to obey the law, company boss Tim Cook has said.
The company, which advertises the security and privacy capabilities of its products as a key feature, recently withdrew a number of apps from the App Store that allowed users to browse the internet over a virtual private network (VPN).
VPNs are used to protect internet communications from eavesdroppers and are a popular means of circumventing China's "Great Firewall" through which Beijing exerts strict control over what its citizens can see on the internet.
Tim Cook said the withdrawal of those apps was a "very different" situation to when Apple fought off the FBI's attempts to compel it to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernadino attackers.
In the case of the San Bernadino killer "the law in the US supported us", said Mr Cook.
"In the case of China, the law is very clear there," he added.
Mr Cook said that the Chinese government required VPN operators to have a licence from the government and earlier this year began a renewed effort to enforce that policy.
"We were required by the government to remove some of the VPN apps from the App Store that don't meet these new regulations," he said.
"We understand those same requirements on other App Stores, as we check through that's the case.
"Today there's still hundreds of VPN apps on the App Store, including hundreds by developers outside China.
"We would obviously rather not remove the apps but, like we do in other countries, we follow the law wherever we do business."
The CEO was speaking to investors as the world's most-valuable listed company announced it had sold over 41 million smartphones worldwide in the last quarter, bucking the usual trend of a fall in sales in that period.
However, sales in China fell 10% as Apple battled tighter regulation and stronger competition.
"We believe in engaging with governments - even when we disagree," said Mr Cook.
"This particular case, we're hopeful that over time the restrictions we're seeing are lessened, because innovation really requires freedom to collaborate and communicate."
VPNs are used to protect internet communications from eavesdroppers and are a popular means of circumventing China's "Great Firewall" through which Beijing exerts strict control over what its citizens can see on the internet.
Tim Cook said the withdrawal of those apps was a "very different" situation to when Apple fought off the FBI's attempts to compel it to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernadino attackers.
In the case of the San Bernadino killer "the law in the US supported us", said Mr Cook.
"In the case of China, the law is very clear there," he added.
Mr Cook said that the Chinese government required VPN operators to have a licence from the government and earlier this year began a renewed effort to enforce that policy.
"We were required by the government to remove some of the VPN apps from the App Store that don't meet these new regulations," he said.
"We understand those same requirements on other App Stores, as we check through that's the case.
"Today there's still hundreds of VPN apps on the App Store, including hundreds by developers outside China.
"We would obviously rather not remove the apps but, like we do in other countries, we follow the law wherever we do business."
The CEO was speaking to investors as the world's most-valuable listed company announced it had sold over 41 million smartphones worldwide in the last quarter, bucking the usual trend of a fall in sales in that period.
However, sales in China fell 10% as Apple battled tighter regulation and stronger competition.
"We believe in engaging with governments - even when we disagree," said Mr Cook.
"This particular case, we're hopeful that over time the restrictions we're seeing are lessened, because innovation really requires freedom to collaborate and communicate."
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