Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Bringing Some Mac Production Back to U.S. in 2013

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,522
30,795



NBC reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook will announce during an interview airing on Rock Center tonight that the company is bringing some Mac production back to the United States.
In an exclusive interview with Brian Williams airing tonight at 10pm/9c on NBC's "Rock Center," Apple CEO Tim Cook announced one of the existing Mac lines will be manufactured exclusively in the United States next year. Mac fans will have to wait to see which Mac line it will be because Apple, widely known for its secrecy, left it vague. Cook's announcement may or may not confirm recent rumors in the blogosphere sparked by iMacs inscribed in the back with "Assembled in USA."

"We've been working for years on doing more and more in the United States," Cook told Williams.
Click to expand...
​
Cook has more to say about the effort in a lengthy interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, noting that Apple is spending about $100 million on the effort.
It's not known well that the engine for the iPhone and iPad is made in the U.S., and many of these are also exported--the engine, the processor. The glass is made in Kentucky. And next year we are going to bring some production to the U.S. on the Mac. We've been working on this for a long time, and we were getting closer to it. It will happen in 2013. We're really proud of it. We could have quickly maybe done just assembly, but it's broader because we wanted to do something more substantial. So we'll literally invest over $100 million. This doesn't mean that Apple will do it ourselves, but we'll be working with people, and we'll be investing our money.
Click to expand...
mac_lineup.jpg
Cook also addresses several of the challenges Apple faces in bringing production back to the United States, pointing out once again that the educational system is not producing the expertise needed for major manufacturing in consumer electronics, but he hopes that Apple's effort can help spur progress in that area.

Article Link: Apple Bringing Some Mac Production Back to U.S. in 2013
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/12/06/apple-bringing-some-mac-production-back-to-u-s-in-2013/
ck2875

ck2875

macrumors 65816
Mar 25, 2009
1,029
2,923
Brighton
I wonder how much of this is to have tighter control on supply chain leaks (i.e. There weren't any pics of the new iMac prior to reveal).
 
C

copete

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2010
13
0
Canada
I doubt we'll ever see iOS products manufactured in the USA. Apple generally does as much as they can to hide leaks (never works), but if manufacturing was brought to the States, it would make it that much more difficult.
 
H

hamean

macrumors member
Dec 16, 2010
66
0
It would have to be a smaller scale product, if it were exclusively manufactured in the US, so I'm guessing Mac Pro.
 
L

LYFK

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2007
139
1
I applaud the effort. To be honest, I feel that $100m is a drop in the bucket, but here's to hoping that number increases over time and creates even more jobs.
 
Lesser Evets

Lesser Evets

macrumors 68040
Jan 7, 2006
3,527
1,294
I bet that once you weigh up the training, the language barriers, the shipping, the return shipping, etc. etc. etc., the production is marginally cheaper in China. And it is probably too far away for tight quality control from the top execs. in the company.

hamean said:
It would have to be a smaller scale product, if it were exclusively manufactured in the US, so I'm guessing Mac Pro.
Click to expand...
Most likely, but I bet it could also be the iMacs.
 
M

mozumder

macrumors 65816
Mar 9, 2009
1,285
4,416
yep. new Mac Pros. Doesn't matter if they're super cheap, so they can be manufactured in the US.
 
M

Mac-Mariachi

macrumors regular
Jan 29, 2002
172
0
Monterrey, Mexico
iMacs

As we´ve all seen, some of the current crop of new iMacs have been assembled in USA so it is very probable that the iMac is the line that will be produced in the U.S.
 
L

legacyb4

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2002
707
434
Vancouver, BC
With all the shenanigans China pulls, I'm glad at least some companies are finally waking up and getting smart with their businesses!
 
thewitt

thewitt

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2011
2,102
1,523
Lesser Evets said:
I bet that once you weigh up the training, the language barriers, the shipping, the return shipping, etc. etc. etc., the production is marginally cheaper in China. And it is probably too far away for tight quality control from the top execs. in the company.
Click to expand...

In the labor intensive iPhone and iPad construction this is absolutely not true. Labor is a very large part of the cost, and training on the specific skills needed to assemble a phone is a relatively simple task.

The automated assembly lines that can be used on computer assembly require a higher skill level, larger capital investment, and can be run in the US.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
copete said:
I doubt we'll ever see iOS products manufactured in the USA. Apple generally does as much as they can to hide leaks (never works), but if manufacturing was brought to the States, it would make it that much more difficult.
Click to expand...

Leaks are more and more prevalent these days and they're proving to be quite accurate.

Glad they're bringing some back to the U.S. I'm all about cost-saving efforts but not at the risk pushing people out of work.
 
V

viperGTS

macrumors 68000
Nov 15, 2010
1,560
941
Cook also addresses several of the challenges Apple faces in bringing production back to the United States, pointing out once again that the educational system is not producing the expertise needed for major manufacturing in consumer electronics, but he hopes that Apple's effort can help spur progress in that area.
Click to expand...

Well Apple, if you love education as much as you say you do, why not put some of that huge pile of money you have back into the education system? :rolleyes:
 
NoMoreSony

NoMoreSony

macrumors member
Apr 18, 2012
97
4
"It's not known well that the engine for the iPhone and iPad is made in the U.S., and many of these are also exported--the engine, the processor."

Correct. The processor is made in the U.S. by the Samsung on Samsung's factory in Austin, TX.:D

But wait... Who said about distancing itself from Samsung as a part supplier? :confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom