Apple.com getting slammed

The internet photo of an Apple employee has sparked outrage among Chinese individuals due to allegations that the individual was deliberately selected to ridicule China.

According to statistics obtained by Insider, unverified grievances rapidly spread on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, on Sunday, garnering 180 million views and reaching the top of the platform’s trending list.

The wrath was primarily aimed against the staff of Apple Watch tech assistance due to their braided hair and facial features.

Online, people baselessly accused Apple of promoting Western preconceptions of a Chinese person by showcasing an employee whose hairstyle resembled a traditional Chinese pigtail.
Chinese individuals frequently express their disapproval towards portrayals of “Fu Manchu,” an antagonist featured in Western media throughout the early 20th century. He is frequently shown as an East Asian individual with a queue hairstyle, hanging facial hair, and slanted eyes, and Chinese state media have strongly criticized his portrayal as highly discriminatory.

“I am uncertain whether it is due to the lack of intelligence among individuals at Apple or their exposure to American movies intentionally portraying China in a derogatory manner, featuring Chinese villains with pigtails, which leads them to associate this as the representation of a Chinese individual,” expressed a blogger.

A survey conducted by Pear Video, a media company headquartered in Shanghai, inquired whether viewers experienced a sense of “discomfort” while viewing the photograph of the employee
As of Tuesday, a minimum of 123,000 individuals voted in favor, whereas 58,000 expressed their belief that the photo was unproblematic.
A significant portion of the online anger appears to originate from the mistaken belief that the employee’s photograph was exclusively displayed on Apple’s website for China.

Nevertheless, The Global Times, a Chinese publication that strongly supports the central government, stated that the employee in question is employed in California rather than in a store located in China.

If there is one thing unique about Apple, it’s not the fact that it’s a provider of technology but it is a cultural phenomenon that has redefined everything about the modern world. Apple and the Apple.com website have become synonymous with innovation and a relentless focus on the future. What has made this company the digital empire that we all know of today?

From Computers to Complete World Domination

Apple can be traced all the way back, not just to Steve Jobs who tends to dominate the story, but the lesser-known players Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Apple Inc. was founded in 1976 initially as a vehicle to sell the Apple I personal computer. Jobs and Wozniak worked together to incorporate the company as Apple Computer Inc. in 1977 and when Apple went public on the back of the Apple II, it achieved instant success and started the production of the computers that became a mainstay throughout the 1980s. 

Its key touchstone of popular culture throughout the 80s included the 1984 original Macintosh, and alongside its critically acclaimed 1984 advertisement campaign, it became a market leader in the computer world. However, due to many ups and downs throughout the ’80s, it was at the end of the 1990s that Apple emerged as the platform that we associate with class and convention-breaking. Jobs’s return in 1997 reinvented Apple as the defining hub for innovative products.

Its Endless Quest for Innovation

It’s hard to imagine a time prior to when Apple’s devices were not in people’s hands. Apple is not just a brand that instigated an increase in smartphone usage, but is also the digital showcase for groundbreaking products. The iPads, the MacBook, and the iPod were dominant during the early 2000s, partly because Apple knew how to put on a show. Each product launch became a major event and even inspired an Oscar-nominated movie about three of those product launches. 

It’s hard to imagine that 30 or 40 years ago the launch of a product would be a culturally defining event; however, Apple continued because of its dedication to innovation. Apple has consistently ranked among the top tech companies in the world, not just because of its products but because of its research and development spending. 

Constantly striving to develop new technologies, improve existing products, and explore uncharted territories, Apple has become the definition of pushing the envelope. After all, its famous slogan, “Think Different,” has not just been the ethos of the company, but has inspired generations of entrepreneurs looking to emulate what Apple has achieved.

A Mission to Cater to the Customer and the Staff

Apple is not just a successful company because of its innovative products but its customer-centric philosophy. Apple’s mission is “to make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind,” and we can see this in every aspect of Apple.com’s website. 

One of the most iconic features of the website is the Apple Store where customers can explore products and get expert advice from one of Apple’s Geniuses. Not content with customer service on a basic level, highlighting the Apple Store’s assistants as Geniuses showcases its commitment, not just to the customer by providing top-tier service, but also how it treats its staff with numerous perks and incentives. These include, unsurprisingly, discounts, as well as discounted stock purchase options, and a focus on health and well-being as part of its Employee Assistance Program.

Dedication Beyond the Product

Apple has world-beating values at the forefront of its operations. These include accessibility, inclusion and diversity, racial equity and justice, supplier responsibility, and education. Apple’s technology and resources aim to empower every type of educator and student to move the world forward. 

These include its K-12 initiative, including its “Everyone Can Code” program, Apple School Manager web portal, and Apple Classroom app to enable teachers to manage and monitor student iPads. 

Apple also has dedicated portals for businesses. Its Apple and Business resource provides the opportunity to connect with an enterprise expert or learn more about how to power your small business with Apple products to connect or collaborate, nurturing the future generation of entrepreneurs. 

Apple is also world-beating in healthcare through its products, transforming how doctors and nurses work with their patients, providing continuing patient care at home, and custom apps for medical researchers and everyday people to benefit from. One of the most notable examples is the Apple Watch, which can give everybody an early warning sign that their health needs addressing.

A Unified User Experience

A company that provides a unified ethos, Apple.com’s success is not just about innovation, but the consistency that reflects the brand’s emphasis on elegance and simplicity. This is evident in its website which integrates its customer support, shopping, and content to create a unified user experience. 

Apple.com is a gateway to an interconnected ecosystem. Apple was the first to seamlessly sync its products together to create a unified experience for the user. Integration to online services like Apple Music, the App Store, and iCloud provides user convenience. 

Most notably, its “Walled Garden” approach provides customers with a controlled and secure digital environment. Apple has become synonymous with trust, as any app and service through Apple.com undergo rigorous quality checks and prioritize user privacy.

A Focus on the Future

Apple is also dedicated to ensuring that customers are always its priority by emphasizing transparency in its services to enhance user trust. Apple has also taken the lead in sustainability and environmental responsibility. 

These include using more recycled materials in its products and a dedication to being carbon neutral by the year 2030. Apple is dedicated to ensuring the safety of chemicals in their products at the strictest standards, using the circular economy to improve its individual impact, and holding themselves accountable to the strictest standards of human rights, health and safety, sourcing of materials, and environmental practices.