China state media attacks on Apple inspire apology

After the successful launches of the iPhone, iPad and iTunes, Apple this week responded to weeks of Chinese criticism with an ignominious new product: the iKowtow.

China blogger Bill Bishop - who has been following the relentless official criticism of Apple for allegedly being "dishonest", "greedy", "incomparably arrogant", as well as for having poor service and an anti-Chinese bias - was proved right.

Bishop commented that whatever the rights and wrongs of the case, China is following the classic recipe of "finding a kernel of truth and then blowing it into a mass media struggle session until the target bows down and pays obeisance. Apple can't win this fight, whatever the merits. Time for an iKowtow".

And so it proved to be. Chief executive Tim Cook on Monday produced a long, grovelling apology in which he admitted that Apple "has much to learn about operating and communicating in China".

In his letter, which appeared in Chinese on Apple's local website, Cook wrote that: "We are aware that owing to insufficient external communication, some consider Apple's attitude to be arrogant, inattentive or indifferent to consumer feedback. We express our sincere apologies for causing consumers any misgivings or misunderstandings."

Even though Cook apologised, the attack on Apple was sustained and concerted to such a degree that is raises doubts about the way that China does business.