4 ms·

I would be willing to pay extra for Apple devices made here in America. All American engineering and design, all American manufacturing. I think it's a real po

I would be willing to pay extra for Apple devices made here in America. All American engineering and design, all American manufacturing. I think it's a real possibility; Apple has deep pockets and the ability to plan ahead and is the perfect company to bring manufacturing to the 21st century thanks to innovation and automation.

mhoad 5y ago
Right. All of that is true and has been for years. It was famously true the first time they were caught in a situation like this. They chose not to do any of that.
aimor 5y ago
"Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China" I laughed the first time I saw that because of how proudly it was featured for such a mundane statement. In 2014 I bought the Moto X in part because it was assembled in the US. Remember, it costs $14/hr to pay a US worker compared to $4/hr in China, which makes up some fraction of the cost of a $400 phone but I'm not sure how much. I was also never really clear on how much of the assembly was done in the US. At some point companies were saying things like, "Built in USA" "Final Assembly in USA" or whatever other term they thought could be used to imply "Made in USA"/"Assembled in USA" without alerting the FTC. In general it's not terribly difficult to find products made in the US. It's a hunt, it takes time, it often costs more, and sometimes the material are from overseas. But clothes, toys, furnishings, food, it's still made here by the people and their businesses which care to make it here. So why isn't "Made in USA" etched on the back of iPhones today? I think it's not a priority of the company. Maybe that's cynical given that two years ago there was all this news about Mac Pro towers being assembled in Texas [1]. But Apple is the most profitable company in the world, and chooses to etch "Designed by Apple in California" on the back of every phone despite the means to say more, so I don't know why I should expect Apple manufacturing to move to the US unless there is financial incentive. To be clear: I assume Apple estimates how many people feel the way you and I do (will pay for Made in USA) and concludes now is not the time. As an aside, I once saw a sale for Tommy Hilfiger USA "All American II" towels. Made in India. [1] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsN2LCcXUAErEkr?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsN2LCcXUAErEkr?format=jpg&name=...
- seanmcdirmid 5y ago
  Supply chains are more relevant now than labor of assembly costs. It is cheaper to produce many of the components in China for a lot of other reasons (much of them not pretty, like reduced enforcement of environmental standards).
- nebula8804 5y ago
  Are you sure its $14/hr? I was watching the documentary about the Chinese Car Windshield company opening a plant in Ohio and they were paying workers there something like ~30ish an hour. I recall some lady was sad because the old GM plant was playing closer to 40 but still happy to have the job. Isn't this the same kind of work? Wouldn't it be closer to the 30$ figure?
  - aimor 5y ago
    I'm not sure and I don't know, it could be $30 or $40/hr. I took $14 and $4 from an article discussing the Moto X in 2013.

mhoad 5y ago

Right. All of that is true and has been for years. It was famously true the first time they were caught in a situation like this. They chose not to do any of that.

aimor 5y ago

"Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China" I laughed the first time I saw that because of how proudly it was featured for such a mundane statement. In 2014 I bought the Moto X in part because it was assembled in the US. Remember, it costs $14/hr to pay a US worker compared to $4/hr in China, which makes up some fraction of the cost of a $400 phone but I'm not sure how much. I was also never really clear on how much of the assembly was done in the US. At some point companies were saying things like, "Built in USA" "Final Assembly in USA" or whatever other term they thought could be used to imply "Made in USA"/"Assembled in USA" without alerting the FTC. In general it's not terribly difficult to find products made in the US. It's a hunt, it takes time, it often costs more, and sometimes the material are from overseas. But clothes, toys, furnishings, food, it's still made here by the people and their businesses which care to make it here. So why isn't "Made in USA" etched on the back of iPhones today? I think it's not a priority of the company. Maybe that's cynical given that two years ago there was all this news about Mac Pro towers being assembled in Texas [1]. But Apple is the most profitable company in the world, and chooses to etch "Designed by Apple in California" on the back of every phone despite the means to say more, so I don't know why I should expect Apple manufacturing to move to the US unless there is financial incentive. To be clear: I assume Apple estimates how many people feel the way you and I do (will pay for Made in USA) and concludes now is not the time. As an aside, I once saw a sale for Tommy Hilfiger USA "All American II" towels. Made in India. [1] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsN2LCcXUAErEkr?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsN2LCcXUAErEkr?format=jpg&name=...

seanmcdirmid 5y ago
Supply chains are more relevant now than labor of assembly costs. It is cheaper to produce many of the components in China for a lot of other reasons (much of them not pretty, like reduced enforcement of environmental standards).
nebula8804 5y ago
Are you sure its $14/hr? I was watching the documentary about the Chinese Car Windshield company opening a plant in Ohio and they were paying workers there something like ~30ish an hour. I recall some lady was sad because the old GM plant was playing closer to 40 but still happy to have the job. Isn't this the same kind of work? Wouldn't it be closer to the 30$ figure?
- aimor 5y ago
  I'm not sure and I don't know, it could be $30 or $40/hr. I took $14 and $4 from an article discussing the Moto X in 2013.