For many years, Apple has produced their products overseas in China. This has always been controversial with consumers. Tim Cook, Apple’s new CEO, states that Apple chooses to use China for manufacturing their products due to the proficiency they have, and is not based on profit.
This could change in the near future, as Apple starts to move some of their production to the US. Due to the rise in shipping and labor costs, and a decrease in productivity, it’s becoming more economical for companies to produce their products here.
All of the talk started when reviewers of the new iMac noticed that the usual “Assembled in China” mark had been replaced with a “Made in the USA” stamp. In an interview with NBC’s Brian Williams, Tim Cook mentioned the glass and processor for the new iPhone are made in America and shipped to China for assembly.
Lately, it has been to Apple’s advantage to ship these components to China for assembly, and it has been common practice for many businesses. Honestly, I don’t even remember the last time I saw a “Made in U.S.A.” sticker on anything I plug into the wall.
Another interesting and overshadowed announcement related to US manufacturing is the case of an April Fools’s joke coming true. The electronics giant Foxconn (maker of parts and finished units for Apple among dozens of others) is looking to open facilities in either Detroit or LA. This surely is an unexpected move, but a welcome one. These are very interesting times — interesting times, indeed.