China-based video production company MediaStorm is reportedly giving all 154 of its employees the latest foldable iPhone, in what could be one of the company’s most generous staff perks yet.
The company is also said to be covering the personal income tax incurred from the gifts, meaning employees would not have to pay the tax themselves.
According to a post shared on Threads, the announcement was made internally earlier on Thursday, with every employee expected to receive an iPhone Duo.
The giveaway is expected to cost MediaStorm around RMB3 million, or approximately RM1.8 million, when the cost of the phones and the associated taxes are taken into account.
Under China’s tax rules, valuable gifts provided by companies to employees are subject to personal income tax, which MediaStorm has reportedly agreed to cover on behalf of its staff.
This is not the first time the company has rewarded its employees with the latest Apple devices.
In 2024, MediaStorm reportedly gifted an iPhone 16 Pro to every employee and intern as a thank-you for their contributions. At the time, the company had around 100 employees and interns and also covered the taxes linked to the gifts.
The 2024 giveaway was reportedly the third consecutive year MediaStorm had handed out the latest iPhone models, following the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022 and iPhone 15 Pro in 2023.
If the latest announcement is accurate, the company’s annual iPhone tradition appears to be continuing as its workforce grows.
With 154 employees now reportedly in line for one of Apple’s most expensive devices, MediaStorm may also be setting a rather high bar for employee benefits — and perhaps raising expectations for bosses elsewhere.
