Microsoft plans to provide Apple gadgets to its Chinese staff, according to a report

Microsoft will provide Apple iOS devices to its Chinese employees to access authentication apps, citing a shortage of Google Android services in the country, a company spokesman said Monday.

Microsoft has faced increased scrutiny following a series of security breaches, most recently earlier this year when Russian hackers tried to spy on and access email accounts of employees and corporate clients. The development was first reported by Bloomberg News, which cited an internal memo saying the Windows operating system maker had been asking Chinese employees to use Apple devices at work since September.

The move to iOS devices comes as part of Microsoft's global Secure Future initiative, where the Google Play store is unavailable in China and employees have limited access to security apps such as Microsoft Authenticator and Identity Pass, the report adds. "Since Google Mobile Services is not available in the region, we are considering providing employees with alternatives, such as iOS devices, to access the apps they need," a company spokesman told Reuters in an email. Microsoft is one of several U.S. companies with a strong presence in China. It entered the Chinese market in 1992 and also operates a major research and development center in the country.