Apple threatens suppliers with fines

Apple partners are trying not to mention the name of the American IT giant because of the huge fines. This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.

According to WSJ sources in Asian companies that are associated with Apple by contracts for the production of equipment, they try not to mention the American corporation in internal documents. This is due to the fact that Apple threatens its partners with huge fines for disclosing confidential information.

In Asia, Apple is often referred to as the “fruit company” or sometimes “Fuji”, referring to the variety of apples. The iPhone maker may also be referred to in official documents as a “three trillion dollar company” and “honorary North American customer.”

Reporters noticed that in January 2021, Japanese smartphone camera maker O-Film Group estimated its losses at $426 million due to the loss of “a certain customer outside the country.” Samsung, which is also linked to Apple by agreement, calls the company Lovely Opponent, or LO for short.

The authors of the WSJ found that Apple enters into a contract with each supplier, which details the penalties for disclosing various information. According to leaked documents from Tim Cook’s former supplier GT Advanced Technologies, Apple could demand a $50 million payout for each disclosure of classified information.

In late February, sources told The Washington Post that Apple store employees began to express disagreement with the company’s pay policy. Insiders found out that, fearing surveillance by corporate managers, store employees discuss their problems with each other using Android smartphones.