“Etched into the back of every iPhone are the words ‘Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.’ Apple might as well have added ‘Made in Taiwan,'” Ken Belson reports for The New York Times.
“With little fanfare, Taiwan companies are playing a big role not only in the production of Apple’s latest device but in a wide array of other communications equipment,” Belson reports.
“Apple does not discuss which vendors it uses, but news reports in Taiwan said that Hon Hai and Quanta received orders to produce millions of iPhone handsets, reports that those companies declined to confirm,” Belson reports. “Taiwan companies also have a hand in making iPods and iMacs, they said… ‘It’s not a surprise that the iPhone would be made here because the food chains for Apple’s notebooks and iPods are already in Taiwan,’ said Dominic Grant, a telecommunications analyst at Macquarie in Taipei. ‘It’s a natural progression.'”
Much more in the full article here.
I wonder how China feels, being the low rung on the technology ladder?
What will Apple do when China decides to invade Taiwan?
PRC will start their missile tests again……
Just my $0.02
I never understood the connection between “Made in the USA” and “better quality”.
I’m all for being patriotic and all, but most products in Taiwan are made to incredibly high standards, especially when it comes to electronics. I know that in the bicycle industry (of which I am familiar), any frame/part made in Taiwan is always highly rated and thoroughly tested.
Enough with this Taiwan – Low Quality talk. It’s nonsense. If anything, the Taiwanese government and these companies should pay their people way more for doing such a good job.
Where is AL Gore when Apple decided to take more jobs over seas? I though that liberals hate the growing U.S. trade deficit! Both Al and Steve should know better than making money over moving jobs over seas.
What is going on here? We need more Government to get this under control!
wmd
The deindustrialization of the U.S. will go on record as the worst mistake ever made by a country. After they got rid of those damn blue-collar tweakers and then they started laying off white collar workers, I wonder who these corporations think will be left to buy their products. Ah yes, the foreign markets that these corporations will not get a slice of. Very interesting times are coming.
I agree with the sentiment that there are ALOT of workers in the United States who would like this work to be theirs. This is the same bullshit alot of US companies are doing.
The issue is that US workers can’t afford to take a job that pays $1.80 an hour. We’re not content to ride bicycles to work (I’m talking the masses here, not you wiry tree hugger types) and live in company owned dormitories. Those $1.80 an hour jobs are a step up for the Chinese workers and untenable for Americans. It is just how it is today. Better focus on learning to be part of the “Designed in” team, cause the “Built in” team has gone so far West its East.
OBTW, lest I be misinterpreted, I agree totally with AP and Wha. It’s just that we are where we are. I don’t even know what we’ll do if China gets pissed at us and stops selling us underwear!