(Reuters) – Microsoft plans to provide Apple Inc’s iOS-based devices to its employees in China so they can access authentication apps because Google Inc’s Android services are not available in the country, a company spokesman said on Monday.
Microsoft has come under increased scrutiny following a series of security breaches, the most recent of which was earlier this year when Russian hackers intercepted and accessed emails from the company’s employees and customers.
The move was first reported by Bloomberg News, which cited an internal memo saying the Windows operating system maker had told its Chinese employees to use Apple devices at work starting in September.
The move to switch to iOS devices, part of Microsoft’s global Secure Future initiative, was driven by the unavailability of the Google Play store in China, preventing employees from accessing security apps such as Microsoft Authenticator and Identity Pass, the report added.
“Given that Google Mobile Services is not available in the region, we are exploring ways to provide employees with access to the apps they need, such as on iOS devices,” a company spokesman said in an email to Reuters.
Microsoft is one of the US companies with a strong presence in China. The company entered the Chinese market in 1992 and also operates a large research and development center in the country.
According to a Bloomberg report, the company plans to offer iPhone 15 models to employees across China, including Hong Kong, who currently use Android devices.
(Reporting by Priyanka G in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi)
