Apple has been using privacy as a marketing tool. But apparently it will go no further than that. Privacy seems to be useful to Apple only if it can be used as a marketing tool, otherwise it's discarded as fast as some "offensive app" in the app store.
> [Timothy D. Cook] made clear that Apple would obey American law — but only after trying to shape the law.
In the case of China here, the law was already passed. Apple is just conforming to the law.