Apple cozies up to U.S. government with increased lobbying

With personal devices getting more powerful every day and the launch of a wearable on the horizon, Apple is reportedly ramping up its presence in Washington in order to help calm any concerns. Bloomberg reports that Tim Cook's photo op with Orrin Hatch in December was just a small sample of Apple's ramped-up focus on making nice with the powers-that-be.

Apple has never been a huge player in Washington, at least when compared to other large tech firms, but their efforts have been expanded a bit as of late. This is seen as a response to increased scrutiny over potential privacy issues, and Apple's hiring last year of Amber Cottle, former Democratic Staff Director on the Senate Finance Committee, seems to already be paying dividends.