Actually the iPhone production is not full automated. The boards & circuitry are. But allot is still human handled. And there is no way Apple is or was trying to leave China. The fact is Foxconn (aka Hon Hai Precision, TW owned) makes the IPhone and pretty much all of Apples products. Foxconn is the largest electronics contract manufacture in the world. They have manufactures around the world, and China is the largest, as that’s were most of the chips and circuitry is manufactured. If Apple was attempting to leave China they would be leaving Foxconn and that’s not happening.
Regarding raw materials. Your right getting out raw materials from overseas is scary. Not because of quality, because a large majority of our steel and metal comes from Asia now anyways. But the fact we are just that much more dependent on Asia for something we were the leaders in, and manufactured right here in the States. That’s the scariest part of me. The US has deliberately weakened itself when they took their eyes off the prize and focused on other less important things. We allowed and deliberately gave our strength to Asia and China when we let them manufacture everything we depend on.
I don't want to get off subject but I beg to differ - they 100% have the capabilities to fully automate the line - I was involved in the process. Yeah everything from building boards, pick and place stuffing, automated test, enclosed finish and assy, system test and packaging. 4 people can make 1000 phones an hour.
The machines were made in Germany and assembled in China and tested there, but never shipped out. Right now they are a negotiating tool- easy to replicate and deploy if needed.
It's not that much cheaper to move the raw materials within mainland as opposed to outside. and its about the same time - the stuff is light and gets flown. Apple piloted the domestic build process in Austin on the 2013 MacPro, it was a leverage move and test scenario.
I completely agree we are severely weakened and could not even resupply in a war if we needed to. I give Trump the nod for knowing this and wanting to change this. but even that thought is gone now ...
I negotiated a line move of my Apple product line to Foxconn when I was there and spent plenty of time with the exec's over the years. Foxconn has presence worldwide and built my products for my last start up in NorCal. I never ramped enough to move the line before selling the company.
The ONLY reason Apple is still making the iphone exclusively in China is to have access to the Chinese domestic market. The TAM is 2x the size of the US and EMEA and Tim is very greedy. shareholders like that even if it means being at the mercy of China.
No One controls Tim Cook, he is the best Op's guy on the planet. Everyone plays by his rules. He wants a change he does it. I respect him for that. He proved his expertise over and over working with him.
Intel was not happy about Apple making their own Silicon. And Intel "owns" the uP market (except AMD and ARM = MICE NUTS) Apple moved. If M series failed Apple could still go back to Intel - its business, no doors are closed ...
If RG's engine fails I am 100% sure Rotax or anyone else will sell to him. Its business, not grudges - that stuff only happens in movie plots.
Yeah it sucks we are still building in China, but unless we stop worrying about pronouns and start worrying about the basics, thats not going to change, and by then we won't be able to change it ..
