Microsoft China bans Android, demands staff use iPhones
Microsoft China mandates staff to switch from Android to iPhones for security reasons by September 2024. Transition facilitated with iPhone 15 devices, citing Google Play Store unavailability in China. No official comments from Microsoft or Apple.
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Microsoft China has mandated its staff to switch from Android smartphones to iPhones as part of a security initiative. The move, set to take effect in September 2024, requires employees to transition to iPhones, with Android users being provided with iPhone 15 devices. Microsoft is facilitating the transition by setting up collection points for Android phones across its facilities in China and Hong Kong. The decision is influenced by the unavailability of the Google Play Store in mainland China, leading Microsoft to block access to app platforms run by Huawei or Xiaomi. By switching to iPhones, employees will gain access to the iOS App Store, enabling the use of Microsoft's authentication tools. Microsoft's China operations, which date back to 1992, employ over 6,000 engineers and scientists in its research center. The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees affected by this directive. Both Microsoft and Apple have not publicly commented on this development.
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