Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'It's Not True That the iPhone is Not Made in the United States'

[JPack]

Could you provide some examples of sophisticated manufacturing? Just so I understand what it is you're referring to. With companies like Foxconn, etc, all you see is factory line workers whose sole job is to place one component and then pass it down the line. That's not sophisticated.

Are you talking about manufacturing components like processors, etc? We make those in the US too, and it's mostly done by high tech machinery, not humans.

Being so far removed from manufacturing, it looks like most Americans no longer understand what goes into sophisticated manufacturing.

• Metals Tooling Engineer
• Supply Quality Engineer
• Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
  
• Coating Engineer...
• and hundreds more jobs can be found on the Apple China site:

https://jobs.apple.com/us/search?jobFunction=MTLMF#location&t=0&sb=req_open_dt&so=1&lo=0*CHN&pN=0

This is just Apple where they have outsourced manufacturing to China. Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron, Wingtech, Wind, Huaqin, are all electronic engineering firms that design and manufacture smartphones in China.

Companies like Huawei manufacture phones using nearly 100% Chinese domestic chips.

 

[thisismyusername]

I'm glad he mentioned where the iPhone is made. I hate it when people hate/love a product just because of what "Made in x" says. That little saying is 100% meaningless because, like he said, that only means where the final assembly is done.

All these "only buy American" people are a bunch of hypocrites since lots of the stuff inside their "American products" come from China/Mexico/etc, just like a ton of "Made in China" products contain stuff that's made in America. Where the final assembly is done doesn't matter and is, arguably, the least significant part of the whole process when determining where it's made.

If you really only want to buy American products, then you need to verify all the parts are made in America, all the manufacturing equipment used to make all those parts are made in America, all the software/tools/etc used in designing the product are made in America, all the people involved in designing/manufacturing all that stuff are American and living in this country, etc.

 

[CrystalQuest76]

If countries start creating protectionist policies to force companies to manufacture locally, then you'll just see that increased cost passed on to the consumer. But the company won't absorb those higher costs.

Yes, once the executives get a taste for those big bonuses, they will ensure that they only get bigger. That is the reason the apple executives refuse to bring the profits back into the US and pay taxes. It would impact their bonuses.

 

[blackcrayon]

Getting super tired of the half truths in the world today. Yeah sure some parts are made here, but most aren't. And y'all route your income through Ireland too so why's that? You wanna claim to be all SUPER USA, then bring your income home and pay your got dang taxes. And don't ask schools to pay $300 for ipads when they can't afford heat or to feed the kids. (because there isn't enough tax money for them)

Speaking of half-truths...

 

[kemal]

"Made in China with globally sourced materials."

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Yikes! Even IF the parts are indeed made in the USA, they are then being shipped to China on a boat, which is polluting the environment to be assembled. The assembled phones are then shipped back to the USA on a boat, which again is polluting the environment.

So, yes it being assembled in another country is just as big of a deal as if the parts were made in another country. Now, if the USA is the only place the parts can be manufactured, then make them here and ship them to the countries where the phones will be sold to be assembled. In other words, assemble phones in the USA that are going to be sold in the USA, assemble phones that are going to be sold in China in China, assemble phones that are going to be sold in Canada in Canada, etc. Doing this will help spur the local economy of each of these countries, which means Apple could end up selling more phones there.

You are missing the point. An iPhone is a globally produced product that has parts manufactured in China, the US, Japan, Korea, and a few other countries. It’s simply much more efficient to ship all the parts to a single location for final assembly than if you split the supply chain for local manufacturing. It also have much to do with where the raw materials like rare earth metals or lithium are produced, and it would increase the costs (and environmental pollution) many folds if you had to ship all materials and components to each country where iPhone is purchased.

 

[Morgenland]

28 Nations giving up their autonomy to feed a hungry beast in Brussels is always mind boggling to me.

BS!

 

[IPPlanMan]

I bet he drives a Made in mexico/Canada “American brand vehicle” and the type to think Toyota is still Japanese!

I actually don’t own a car, and haven’t since August 2005. I walk using American-made shoes, socks and everything else. Check your privilege.

 

[Rocketman]

That gives MSNBC a week to promote the segment is false hope it will increase ratings. I will watch it on YouTube someday. MacRumours already gave me the real news.

 

[ipponrg]

It’s more like some people are intolerant of success and Apple has a big green $ in its headquarters.

If money was the only indicator of success, then I would agree with you there.

 

[farmboy]

The funniest quote of this article:

"We have always made the parts here," Cook said. "People just look at where the final product is assembled."

One would think that "making" a product includes assembling the final product. Clearly we've had the definition wrong the entire time.

Lesson learned: Tim Cook says that final product assembly is not where a product is made.

So you are one of the "where is it finally assembled, that's what counts?" guys. One would also think that there are multiple points of assembly in any complex product. When you buy a car, do you just make a decision on it's origin by looking at where it rolls out of the plant onto a rail car, and not the dozens of countries where components and sub-assemblies are made? There's one vehicle sold in the US that is completely assembled in another country...but bolted onto a rolling chassis in the US. So American car or not?

The teachers in Philadelphia Public schools have to bring their own toilet paper. But, hey, they can get Apple Pencil for $10 off. Could the Apple brass be any more out of touch?

So why are the taxpayers in Philly so screwed up for so long (this didn't happen overnight)? The blame for stuff like this is much closer to home. Don't elect idiots to your school boards.

By the way, Google sells Chromebooks to these schools; are they "out of touch" as well? Asking for a friend.

 

[ipponrg]

So you are one of the "where is it finally assembled, that's what counts?" guys. One would also think that there are multiple points of assembly in any complex product. So when you buy a car, do you just make a decision on it's origin by looking at where it rolls out of the plant onto a rail car, and not the dozens of countries where components and sub-assemblies are made?

For this product or any tech product, I don't really care. Everything is made or touched in China/Taiwan

OT -- but for cars, I care to some extent. When I bought my Subaru, it was actually shipped from Japan to Long Beach. And when I bought my Audi it was also shipped from Germany to Long Beach. I was not a fan of quality control in Mexico or USA back then for those cars at the time.

 

[macfoxpro]

I know this will infuriate so many here, but I’m proud to be an American.

 

[robbyx]

If the phone cost that much more, I wouldn’t buy it. Apple would have to actually compete for my business and not rely on cheap exploited foreign labor to artificially lower the price of their products. Apple has the ability to manufacture in the States with a solid profit margin... but it’s not enough for Tim... the moral arbiter who’s ok with being on a high horse about this.

I make more of an effort than you do I’m sure.

I agree that all American companies who manufacture in China shouldn’t.

I support bringing all of that manufacturing here to the USA. That’s right. All of it. Bring the workers too if they want to come under Visas. Pay them American wages. Give them American worker protections and benefits. Have them pay US taxes.

We’re talking about Apple and I’m calling them out for virtue signaling.

Then you wouldn’t be using a cellphone. Or a computer. Or a TV. Or a streaming media player. And plenty more. You’re just being a hypocrite, “calling out” Apple while excusing your own complicity. If you REALLY cared, you wouldn’t buy goods made by exploited Chinese workers.

But that’s just it. You don’t care about the exploited Chinese workers. You only care about bashing Apple and Cook. Yawn.

 

[0186279]

Face it folks, you can't demand companies to make things completely in the U.S., pay their workers a minimum of $15.00/hr, have the government provide everyone with complete healthcare, and then pay $150 for an iPhone or $50 for a new TV.

Why not?

 

[CartoonCat]

Where's Steve Jobs when you need him?

 

[magicschoolbus]

An iPhone assembled in the U.S. would cost $2K instead of $1K. How many vocal critics would really pay that difference?

I would. **** China and Tim Cook. He would sell the anything American to China to save a dime, and lecture about social justice while embracing corporate loopholes while American manufacturing dies and the middle class picks up the tab.

 

[I7guy]

If money was the only indicator of success, then I would agree with you there.

I have my opinion if Apple as you have yours. We could certainly debate that opinion, but in my book Apple is a successful company, by all and any measures. And I did say, in the original post: "it's like apple has...", not apple has.

 

[Glideslope]

BS!

No need to become angry. I was simply returning your previous BS.
[doublepost=1522273705][/doublepost]

I'm puzzled?
So Tim is saying the Chips and Screens for iPhones are made in the USA ?

No. He stated the Glass Display Cover is manufactured in Kentucky. I'm not sure what part of the Face ID Module is from Texas. I believe it is the Beam Projector, but no quotes. I suppose it could be the plastic housing that holds all the components as well.
[doublepost=1522273944][/doublepost]

Being so far removed from manufacturing, it looks like most Americans no longer understand what goes into sophisticated manufacturing.

• Metals Tooling Engineer
• Supply Quality Engineer
• Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
  
• Coating Engineer...
• and hundreds more jobs can be found on the Apple China site:

https://jobs.apple.com/us/search?jobFunction=MTLMF#location&t=0&sb=req_open_dt&so=1&lo=0*CHN&pN=0

This is just Apple where they have outsourced manufacturing to China. Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron, Wingtech, Wind, Huaqin, are all electronic engineering firms that design and manufacture smartphones in China.

Companies like Huawei manufacture phones using nearly 100% Chinese domestic chips.




View attachment 755904 View attachment 755905 View attachment 755906 View attachment 755908

My oldest is a Senior ALCVD Coatings Engineer at a major US facility.

 

[BootsWalking]

Please explain how he is using an "alternate reality strategy." He's making the argument that the iPhone has components that are produced all over the world, including the USA. He points out specific examples of components that are produced in the USA. He also says that the iPhone is assembled in China. Explain the "alternative facts" in that.

Tim cook said "It's not true that the iPhone is not made in the United States"

The reality is that the majority of components in the phone are manufactured overseas, and the phone itself is assembled overseas. Listing a few "critical" components made in the USA is selective-disclosure PR speak.

 

[Brandhouse]

It's a global economy people.

 

[tzm41]

That’s something Tim will never talk about because that would stain Apple’s image as a white knight for the environment. The irony is while Apple often highlights its commitment to the environment, the truth is Apple’s extraordinary success and policies that are driven mostly by “how do we make the most money” are quite detrimental for the environment.

Well... If you care, the carbon footprint data of each Apple product could be found here: https://www.apple.com/environment/reports/

 

[threesixty360]

Yikes! Even IF the parts are indeed made in the USA, they are then being shipped to China on a boat, which is polluting the environment to be assembled. The assembled phones are then shipped back to the USA on a boat, which again is polluting the environment.

So, yes it being assembled in another country is just as big of a deal as if the parts were made in another country. Now, if the USA is the only place the parts can be manufactured, then make them here and ship them to the countries where the phones will be sold to be assembled. In other words, assemble phones in the USA that are going to be sold in the USA, assemble phones that are going to be sold in China in China, assemble phones that are going to be sold in Canada in Canada, etc. Doing this will help spur the local economy of each of these countries, which means Apple could end up selling more phones there.

Not all the parts are made in 1 country. Some of the chips are Korean or Chinese. Some parts American etc.. and then you still have to ship to loads of countries around the world when selling. So shipping is unavoidable and it doesn’t matter that much where you assemble it because you will always be causing pollution.

Besides, cost of living is more in the US than in China so you would be asking US citizens to pay a lot more than the Chinese for exact same product.

Furthermore, does anyone actually realise that ALL tech products are made like this? It’s not just Apple. It’s not as if all the ships just have Apple stuff on them. How do people think Sony, dell etc.. make stuff?

 

[Williesleg]

I really hate the fact that Timmy Cook can't help himself by polarizing people and getting all political.

What he needs to do is shut up and just build new stuff, we've all been waiting for years for really good product.
But obviously he's incapable of that. Instead he just takes his cash and does nothing. And he's so much better than all of us, talking from his glass house. We're all so stupid buying his outdated crap.

Maybe we can all pool our money, buy a whole bunch of shares of AAPL and force him out.
[doublepost=1522276090][/doublepost]

Not all the parts are made in 1 country. Some of the chips are Korean or Chinese. Some parts American etc.. and then you still have to ship to loads of countries around the world when selling. So shipping is unavoidable and it doesn’t matter that much where you assemble it because you will always be causing pollution.

Besides, cost of living is more in the US than in China so you would be asking US citizens to pay a lot more than the Chinese for exact same product.

Furthermore, does anyone actually realise that ALL tech products are made like this? It’s not just Apple. It’s not as if all the ships just have Apple stuff on them. How do people think Sony, dell etc.. make stuff?

A model of inefficiency if you ask anyone who loves the environment. A model of exploiting the cheapest labor if you watch the many videos.

 

[EightyTwenty]

“It’s important to accept that education is lifelong.”

Yeah, no it isn’t, you corporatist douche. That whole meme is corporatist, anti-human BS designed to convince people to act against their self-interest as individuals and as a society. Westerners already spend 1/3 of their life with formal education. They come out with massive debt and wasted, unproductive time they will never get back.

Corporations just love the idea of people investing vast amounts of money and (more inportantly) vast amounts of time with “lifelong education” just so they can earn minimum wage while corporations like Apple pull in trillions in profit. Keep ‘em drowning in debt. Keep ‘em on that corporate treadmill willing to do anything for their masters. That’s the idea, eh Timmy?

“Lifelong education” = lifelong debt, lifelong stress, lifelong sacrifices, a lifetime of putting off having kids, and ultimately a life wasted doing what is best for corporations instead of your children, your family, your community, your country and yourself.

1/3 of your life isn’t enough anymore. Now it’s an entire lifetime of debt and wasted time to please the corporate masters. It’s so ***** insulting listening to millionaire CEOs spout this putrid BS. Even worse are the dummies who lap this corporate drivel up.