J l in 2012, Donald Trump at the time, only a big businessman said it would be “great” if Apple built factories in the United States in order to assemble iProducts on American soil. Four years later and already a presidential candidate, Trump reiterated his speech, saying that he would make Apple manufacture “his damned computers and stuff ”in the US, rather than in other countries.
We do not know to what extent the new president’s opinions (or threats?) Affected Apple, but according to the The Nikkei, the Cupertino giant reportedly asked Foxconn and Pegatron, its two major suppliers in China, to analyze the feasibility of producing iPhones in the United States. One of the anonymous sources reports that Pegatron declined because of cost concerns, but Foxconn is already looking into that possibility, even though its president is not so happy about it.
Another source suggested that in doing so, prices would more than double. Even so, as we already reported here, there is a risk that Trump (now president-elect) will impose import duties in China of 45%, which would even end up making products more expensive; thus, it would make some sense to produce them “at home”.
Today, most Apple products are made in China, with the exception of the Mac Pro, which is assembled in an American factory. This possibility of taking the entire manufacturing of iProducts to the US may sound strange, especially after Tim Cook declared to the 60 Minutes, in December 2015, that the company prefers China for its “manufacturing focus” and that the USA lacked talent and professional knowledge in the workplace. So, it seems, Apple is preparing for any eventuality, thinking of all possibilities.
If only to make sure that this idea, in the end, is totally unfeasible.
(via 9to5Mac)
Update · 11/23/2016 s 12:59 pm
In an interview with The New York Times, Donald Trump reported that Tim Cook himself called him. He then took the opportunity to “give some advice” to the Apple CEO.
I got a call from Tim Cook and said, “Tim, you know that one of the things that will be a real achievement for me when I get Apple to build a big factory in the United States, or many big factories in the United States, instead of go to China, Vietnam and wherever you go; you will be making your product right here. ” He said, "I understand that." I said: I think we're going to create incentives for you and I think you're going to do that. We are looking to cut big corporate taxes, which will make you happy. ”
Trump goes on to explain to the interviewers that, in order for these cuts to be made, I need to get rid of the bureaucracy and the companies themselves cannot do this: "They can't even begin, they can't expand, they are suffocating."
According to Trump, there have been several meetings with startups and large companies, all of which are excited about regulatory and tax cuts. He argues that there are companies leaving the country because of these two things. The American president-elect believes that regulatory problems are even worse than big taxes.
The intention seems quite noble and it may be that, by the call, Apple is already considering the possibility. Anyway, we will need to wait for the scenes in the next chapters after all, a president alone is not able to implement all these changes.
(via 9to5Mac)
