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Reactions to Apple's apology were mixed. (Photo: SCMP Pictures)

Apple China: “Boss, we’ve drafted the apology letter; can you please sign it off?”
Apple HQ: “Our after-sales service in China is great, we will not apologise!”
Apple China: “Boss, we have been telling you for 15 days, we are a little bit wrong.”
Apple HQ: "Fixing a small problem is enough, let’s just say we regret, but we cannot apologise!"
Apple China: "Boss, look at what happened to Google […]”
Apple China: “Boss, it’s April Fool’s Day, please…”
Apple HQ: “Ok, I’ll sign.”

This joke has so far been shared more than 36,000 times on Sina Weibo on Tuesday, a day after Apple caved in to a two-week long onslaught of criticism by Chinese national state media berating the tech-company for its customer service in China.

Many observers reacted with disbelief when they saw China’s most authoritative national media outlets, the People’s Daily and Chinese Central Television (CCTV), focus on the question of a shortened product warranty for the company’s computers, cellphones and tablets in China.

Caixin called the attacks “rotten to the core.” The business monthly interviewed law scholar Fu Weigang, who agreed, 

"So many media resource are devoted to [bashing] a product whose customer experience is relatively good while there are many poor-quality products begging for scrutiny," he said. "This is a misallocation of media resources."

"If we push the double standard question to the extreme, Apple's American employees are paid more than Chinese employees," Fu said. "Does that qualify as discrimination against Chinese workers?"

China Youth Daily agreed in its editorial reaction titled "Apple or milk powder - the media's responsibility":
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