Apple may be the pride of America, but there’s no avoiding the ironic fact that a “Assembled in China” stamp sits at the bottom of most Apple products. As much as the Trump Administration would like to eject American corporations from manufacturing in China, U.S. companies have their knees deep in Chinese partnerships…
Apple has set its eyes on India. Many Apple products have been manufactured in Indian factories, including parts of the iPhone X, iPhone SE and 6S. India has the advantage of lower-cost labour, but its national policies are making Apple think twice.
Protectionist policies in India tax electronic MNCs in India 20%, which would be a painful blow to any tech giant hoping to shift into India. Apple and the Trump Administration have been in talks with Indian government, hoping to ease tariffs and create an opening for Apple.
MacDailyNews Take: Back in June, Jon Porter reported for The Verge, “Moving production won’t be a quick process. It is expected to take 18 months at a minimum, with results expected to emerge in between two to three years,” so this will be a long process.
You’d think that it was only Apple with a Made in China stamp on their products. How many companies’ products are actually made in America? Not many, I’m sure. If not China, then at least in some other foreign country. It’s too bad Apple can’t open factories in the U.S. using robotic tech and AI to assemble their products. It just seems as though Apple is taking much of the heat from this China trade war. What about all those other American companies with products made in China? There must be plenty of them.
Apple should have acquired a cloud business a few years back and then it wouldn’t have been as badly affected by this tariff stuff. Microsoft hasn’t been affected at all by China tariffs. I’m surprised most companies didn’t see this trade war coming years ago and gotten prepared for it.
NAFTA was a major contributor to the trade imbalance ball rolling signed by President Clinton on Dec. 8, 1993. Clinton, while signing the NAFTA bill, stated that “NAFTA means jobs.” Right, jobs leaving the U.S. for decades to Mexico and Canada and now progressed to other countries including China. Why? To MAXIMIZE PROFITS and take ADVANTAGE of cheap labor. SHAMEFUL!
I agree, Apple with all that money, influence and Trump’s ear — can do the RIGHT thing and explore bringing back Apple manufacturing to the USA and not India. Unfortunately, it was COO Cook over 15 years ago that lead the global shift to China manufacturing with the iPod.
U.S. contractors can certainly build better factories and worker quarters, better than China. History shows, the USA is the mother and world leader of the Industrial Revolution. Using census data start by looking at areas of the country with growing Asian populations. Easily done with the money WASTED on stock buybacks.
If skilled labor is the problem open a tech school to train workers. Another option is to import skilled labor from China. Working with Foxconn supply each person a U.S. working VISA with a shot at citizenship in a communist FREE country, a plane ticket and a bump in wages. Done!
You wrote another idea, “open factories in the U.S. using robotic tech and AI to assemble their products” is certainly worth exploring. No labor union, calling in sick or salary entanglements.
Certainly, all this is doable by one of the wealthiest companies in history. So, what exactly is the problem?…
Apple does not have much interest in moving primary production out of China in the foreseeable future. What it does have an interest in is diversifying low-cost sources for manufacturing. And just like coal, manufacturing is never coming back to the US.
brilliant reply! need more like you!
Spoken like someone from the UK, or some other English speaking country selling out all in country work.