Apple boss Tim Cook 'deeply disappointed' by Indiana's anti-gay law

Apple boss slams new law and says 'Apple is open for everyone'

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks on stage during an Apple product announcement at the Apple campus on September 10, 2013 in Cupertino, California
Apple chief executive Tim Cook revealed he was gay in October Credit: Photo: Getty Images

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has said he is "deeply disappointed" that Indiana has passed a law that could allow businesses to refuse to serve gay people.

The head of the iPhone maker, who revealed in October that he is gay, tweeted that "Apple is open for everyone". The company operates two stores in the state.

On Thursday, Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed into law a controversial religious freedom bill that critics claim is discriminatory and broader than similar laws in other states.

Gay rights groups worry the Religious Freedom Restoration Act will be used by businesses that do not want to provide services for gay weddings. Gay marriage became legal in Indiana last year following an appeals court ruling.

Mr Pence said the bill is "not about discrimination" and that 19 states have similar statutes.

Despite attempts to play down the bill, cloud computing company Salesforce, based in San Francisco, said it will cancel programmes that require travel to Indiana, while the city's Mayor banned public workers from traveling to Indiana at government expense unless essential for public health and safety.

Mr Cook also urged Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson to veto a similar bill.

The Apple boss publicly come out as gay five months ago, saying he considers it "among the greatest gifts God has given me".

"Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life," he said.

"It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple."

Mr Cook told Fortune earlier this week that his announcement was viewed internally at Apple as a "yawner" as it was already well known.

He made the decision to come out "quite some time ago", and did so because of concerns for kids who were bullied at school, some to the point of suicide, and many states allow emploers to sack staff because of their sexual orientation.