APPLE THE BIGGIST PRO CHINESE US COMPANY TO STORE USER CLOUD DATA IN CHINESE OWNED SERVERS IN THE MAINLAND

Apple has started to store some of its Chinese users' data on servers in mainland China, becoming one of the very few technology giants to store information on Chinese soil

It's a step away from its rivals, like Google and Microsoft, which tend to shy away from storing data in the country due to its policies on censorship and past accusations of state-sponsored hacking and spying.

Apple said it made the move in order to speed up its iCloud service to users in the country, and increase reliability across the board, according to the Reuters news agency.

China remains increasingly important to the company's bottom line, as it continues to drive the company's strong quarterly revenue. The iPhone and iPad maker's fiscal third-quarter results showed China accounted for about 16 percent of the company's global revenue, thanks to a bump in iPhone sales — its predominant profit driver — in the country.

But skeptics are already questioning whether or not the data-storing approach may harm its business, in light of the nation state's past (and ongoing) practices.

http://www.zdnet.com/apple-to-store-some-user-data-in-china-weighing-the-pros-and-cons-7000032672/