Huawei CEO Apparently is a Big Fan of Apple & Bought iPhones for His Family

I‘ve no idea why, but I tend to have the misconception that company founders will invariably choose to utilise their own products.

“Boss,” I once approached my boss and asked. “Seeing how you’re the founder of Good Feed, you confirm only read Goody Feed articles right?”

And in reply, he simply smiled.

“You siao ah? Obviously, I only read The Straits Times and TODAYonline,” he said, before walking off. “Why did we even employ this guy?”

Confused, I stared at my open palms. Is the world a lie, I wondered.

“No, bro.” My friendly colleague Boonz passed by and clapped my shoulder warmly. “It’s just life. By the way, here’s your topic for today.”

He breathed into my ear: “Huawei CEO Apparently Bought iPhones for His Family.”

And with that, he clapped me on my shoulder again and left.

Again I stared at my open palms, and again I wondered.

Yeah, the world’s a lie alright.

Huawei CEO Apparently Bought iPhones for His Family

Honestly speaking, I would think it highly unusual that the founder of one of the world’s largest phone manufacturers, Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei, would ever admit that he’s a big fan of one of the Chinese smartphone maker’s biggest rivals.

But according to the South China Morning Post, that’s exactly what went down. In an interview with state media, he reportedly revealed that he bought Apple iPhones for his family upon leaving China.

“iPhone has a good ecosystem and when my family are abroad, I still buy them iPhones, so one can’t narrowly think a love for Huawei should mean loving Huawei phones,” he said.

Well, fair enough, but it seems that over in China, they don’t quite think that way. 

According to Independent, there were calls for the tech boss to boycott the US firm, in a bid to thwart the US Government’s recently declared Huawei ban.

After placing Huawei on its Entity List earlier this week, Huawei has just three months, before it’s blocked off from any further Android updates from Google.

The development comes after the Trump administration’s bold claim, in which Huawei’s revealed to have alleged ties to the Chinese government. If the ties are true, it will mean the possibility of China using Huawei devices as surveillance tools.

No proof, however, has been publicly shared thus far.

But Huawei’s reportedly not afraid

Despite the dire consequences Huawei will surely incur from this latest development, Mr Zhengfei has expressed that the US has underestimated his company’s strength, and said that Huawei’s prepared to operate without reliance on US firms.

“The US 90-day temporary licence [to do business with Google] does not have much impact on us, we are ready,” he reportedly said earlier this week.

Also, even though there’ll be a substantial profit to gain in his own country if he boycotts Apple, he’s apparently against punishing Apple for its US government policy.

A true hardcore Apple fan, alright. As a fellow Apple fan, kudos, Mr Zhengfei!

However, Huawei employees aren’t quite allowed such a luxury. Earlier this year, a tweet from the official Huawei account was allegedly marked with the trademark “via Twitter for iPhone”.

Two employees who were responsible for the cock-up were reportedly demoted after that.

And so… what’s the moral of the story here?

Well, for one, it seems that passion, despite what everyone else says, does not override your business interests.

And for two…

Don’t be surprised if we find out one day that Jeff Bezos uses Taobao too.