Microsoft in China has banned Android and, as a consequence, the company staff will soon be required to make a shift to iPhones. Microsoft employees in the country have been notified to make the shift from Android smartphones to iPhones by September 2024, as per a report from Bloomberg.
This was reportedly announced in an internal memo sent out to the employees by Microsoft China. The same memo has been sent to employees at the Microsoft Hong Kong office.
According to the report, the employees have been told that anybody using an Android smartphone, including phones from Chinese companies like Xiaomi or Huawei, will be given an iPhone 15 by the company. The company is reportedly creating dedicated points in its facility in the country where staff members can go to collect their iPhones.
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Why Is Microsoft China Forcing Employees To Ditch Android
One of the main reasons for the switch is the absence of the Google Play Store in mainland China, though it will be accessible in Hong Kong. On the mainland, Android users have relied on app stores operated by Huawei or Xiaomi. However, the company has now restricted access to these platforms.“The US company will soon require Chinese-based employees to use only Apple Inc devices to verify their identities when logging in to work computers or phones,” reads the report.
Since Apple’s iOS App Store is available in China, the plan is for all employees to switch to iPhones. This move will enable them to use the Microsoft Authenticator password manager and the Identity Pass app without any hassle. Microsoft introduced support for passkeys in May 2024. Rather than relying on traditional passwords and standard authentication methods, passkeys enable apps to use the iPhone’s Face ID for biometric authentication.
The directive also comes at a time when cybersecurity concerns have been increasing for the company. Earlier this year, Microsoft disclosed it was targeted by the Russia-state-sponsored hacking group, Midnight Blizzard. This attack, described as a targeted reconnaissance mission, impacted several US government agencies. Microsoft had started informing specific customers that their emails could be accessed due to the breach.
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Microsoft Makes File Sharing Between PC And Android Easy
There are several ways to send and receive files between a PC and an Android device. For instance, Google’s Quick Share feature enables users to swiftly share files from their phones to their PCs wirelessly and vice versa.
Now, Microsoft is introducing a new way for users to make this process easier. The company announced that it will be rolling out an update to its Windows 11 beta channel.
Members who are a part of the Insiders program will be able to see a new “My Phone” search icon in Windows Share when trying to share content. Clicking on this icon will let users quickly send their content over to their Android phone with little hassle.