China Seeks to Broaden iPhone Ban to State Firms, Agencies (4)

China plans to expand a ban on the use of iPhones in sensitive departments to government-backed agencies and state companies, a sign of growing challenges for Apple Inc. in its biggest foreign market and global production base.

Several agencies have begun instructing staff not to bring their iPhones to work, people familiar with the matter said, affirming a previousreport from the Wall Street Journal. In addition, Beijing intends to extend that restriction far more broadly to a plethora of state-owned enterprises and other government-controlled organizations, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a sensitive matter.

If ...