This deal, and the way it has been positioned, is huge for Didi’s global media and investor cred. A partnership of this size with Apple positions Didi as a major international player, not just Uber’s “Chinese competition.” It undercuts the argument that Didi has won in China simply because of its closeness with the protectionist Chinese government. It says we are a serious, and fierce player in its own right, on a world stage. A four-year old Chinese giant that is already the second largest commerce platform in China next to Alibaba and is going international way sooner than we’ve ever seen before.
I don't know the financials, but I wonder if this is all good business sense in the end.
This all sounds more like petty rivalries more than sound business sense. From the other article on Uber vs. Apple uploaded today on Hubski, Didi is losing billions battling Uber.
From the other article:
Recently, I was watching a really old video where Steve Jobs was introducing Bill Gates in his presentation because Bill Gates had just invested in Apple to help get them out of bankruptcy. The Apple crowd soundly booed him. Jobs noted that the culture at Apple was so competitive that their hatred didn't allow them to see how alliances could help them.
I don't know anything about this deal or any of Apple's financial decisions, but from these two articles, I'm not seeing much in the way of strategy, only petty rivalries.