Tim Cook praises Chinese developers as pressure on Apple rises

Apple CEO Tim Cook praised Chinese developers and supply chain partners at the China Development Forum in Beijing as Apple faces rising pressure in one of its biggest markets.

Cook highlighted automation in Chinese factories and said Apple shares goals with China, such as green development and carbon neutrality.

Earlier this month, Apple lowered the fees it collects from developers in China amid the risk of antitrust intervention by local regulators, and the Chinese ruling party’s flagship newspaper later urged further easing of App Store rules and fixes to what it called monopolistic practices.

Apple makes most of its devices in China but has diversified some assembly to Vietnam and India.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Apple cuts fees with careful timing as sales climb

Apple cut its standard App Store commission in mainland China to 25% from 30% 1. Analysts estimate the change will save developers in China more than 6 billion yuan ($873 million) each year 2.
The lower rate began on March 15, the same day as World Consumer Rights Day 1. Chinese state media often uses the date to call out companies accused of consumer rights violations. Apple faced criticism in 2013 from China Central Television (CCTV) and issued a public apology 2.
iPhone sales in China rose 23% in the first nine weeks of 2026 3. Over the same period, the overall smartphone market fell 4% 3.

China’s push raises stakes for Apple’s global AI plans

The fee cut may not settle the issue. People’s Daily, the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper, has urged steps such as third-party payment options and alternative app distribution 3.
Regulators in other places have pushed similar changes. EU rules in 2024 required Apple to lower commissions to 10% to 17% for developers 1. In the U.S., Apple lets users pay in-app fees through other payment methods 1.
App Store commissions matter for Apple’s AI business. The company is on pace to reach $1 billion in AI revenue this year 3. Nearly all of it comes from a share of subscriptions to ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude 3. It also takes a cut from Gemini and other generative AI apps sold through the App Store 3.