Actions before words

Hi, this is Ian in San Francisco. There was a reason it took a while for many tech companies to say much about Russia’s war. But first...Tod [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hi, this is Ian in San Francisco. There was a reason it took a while for many tech companies to say much about Russia’s war. But first... Today’s top tech news: - Investors are [selling Chinese tech stocks]( - Twitter [removed false tweets]( sent by the Russian embassy in London - An influential investment adviser [opposed Toshiba’s plan]( to split in two Delayed reaction The response from many big technology companies to Russian aggression was delayed or muted. The reason had little to do with protecting sales in Russia. In many cases, it was about the safety of workers there. Russia is the largest country by land area, but it’s largely irrelevant as a consumer of global tech goods. It accounts for about 2% of the personal computer and smartphone markets and 0.1% of semiconductors, according to research by Sanford C. Bernstein. Russia has 4% of YouTube usage and 5% of Instagram, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. So when Cisco Systems Inc. finally condemned Russia a week after the invasion of Ukraine, the letter contained an apparent clue as to why: “For our employees in Russia,” wrote Cisco Chief Executive Officer Chuck Robbins, “we also know how difficult this is on you.” Robbins’ statement, which called the conflict an “unjustified war,” was more forceful than those from some of its peers. Apple Inc., for example, posted links to donate to victims’ funds, and CEO Tim Cook wore a subtle ensemble of the Ukrainian colors at this week’s product event but didn’t mention the war at all—despite using similar venues to address world events in the past. Most companies, including Cisco, refuse to say how many staff they have in Russia or even if they have any at all. Intel Corp., which also declined to say, has about 1,200, according to a person familiar with its operations who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Even if the number were just a few, no CEO wants to be responsible for jeopardizing innocent workers’ lives with a rushed, emotionally charged statement. In this case, actions have been stronger than words. Apple [stopped selling iPhones]( in Russia. Netflix Inc. [cut off subscribers]( there. Cisco, Intel and other makers of the nuts and bolts of the tech economy suspended their businesses in the country. Amazon.com Inc. said Wednesday it [stopped shipping products]( from its store to customers based in Russia and cut off access to its video streaming service there. Behind the scenes, companies have been trying to figure out how they can even keep paying their Russian employees and providing benefits. Some are said to be taking steps to evacuate workers. Russia’s war has been devastating and deadly for the people of Ukraine. It’s also complicating things for many Russians who have no say in the matter. —[Ian King](mailto:ianking@bloomberg.net) If you read one thing Peloton is testing a new subscription that would combine the prices of renting a stationary bike and the training content. It will [cost $60 to $100 a month](, depending on where you live, and it’s the first major change under new management. What else you need to know TikTok is close to a data-storage deal with Oracle. It might sound familiar to those who followed [the Trump saga](. Oracle’s stock was up, but that was due more to an [upbeat financial forecast](. China’s JD defied a nationwide slowdown by posting revenue growth of 23%. The country’s second-largest e-commerce operator [managed to avoid a direct hit]( in Beijing’s regulatory crackdown, which swept up JD’s main rival, Alibaba. What to watch: The politics of [digital mapping is complicated](, as Chad Andersen, managing partner at Space Capital, described in an interview with Emily Chang. Follow Us More from Bloomberg Dig gadgets or video games? [Sign up for Power On]( to get Apple scoops, consumer tech news and more in your inbox on Sundays. [Sign up for Game On]( to go deep inside the video game business, delivered on Fridays. Why not try both? Like Fully Charged? | [Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com](, where you'll find trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Fully Charged newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. [Unsubscribe]( [Bloomberg.com]( [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( [Ad Choices](