Apple Investing $300 Million in Austin, Texas to Add 3,600 More Workers

[brdeveloper]

So for anyone screaming "Buy American" - this is the face of globalization. Jobs will go where the skills and price are at equilibrium. Manufacturing in Asia (no, China is many times not the cheapest), higher value-added functions in the US, for example.

I don't hear anyone complaining about these jobs coming/staying in the US, even though they support international markets.

At the end, globalization can be a good thing. More competition, open markets, open borders, people getting the same wages around the world. The final goal of globalization is building a global mid-class without big social inequalities.

 

[kdarling]

The interesting part of this to me is that Samsung has built the factory for Apples A5 chip manufacturing in Texas.

I'd guess that's a lot more jobs than the Apple facility that provides the associated management and design functions.

Apple's facilities in Austin are just call centers, aren't they? Nothing to do with chips.

Samsung has invested something like $9 billion in Austin over the years. Most of that is for memory chips, but part of that is a recently planned $3.6 billion upgrade to make System-on-Chips (for both Apple and other companies).

While Apple's call center jobs no doubt pay less than the more technical jobs at the Samsung chip factories, I believe the call center numerically employs a lot more people.

 

[Kyrra]

Apple's facilities in Austin are just call centers, aren't they? Nothing to do with chips.

Samsung has invested something like $9 billion in Austin over the years. Most of that is for memory chips, but part of that is a recently planned $3.6 billion upgrade to make System-on-Chips (for both Apple and other companies).

While Apple's call center jobs no doubt pay less than the more technical jobs at the Samsung chip factories, I believe the call center numerically employs a lot more people.

Austin is various levels of support (call center, tier 2, etc..). Also, most of their tech writers are in Austin (all those help docs on their website). They do some limited testing and training down here too. There is a small contingency of developers down here, but they work on non-core products (probably stuff relating to their website).

EDIT: to add, they do some "chip" work down in Austin. See this job posting: http://jobs.apple.com/index.ajs?BID=1&method=mExternal.showJob&RID=77768&CurrentPage=1

 

[kdarling]

Also, most of their tech writers are in Austin (all those help docs on their website). They do some limited testing and training down here too. There is a small contingency of developers down here, but they work on non-core products (probably stuff relating to their website).

Thank you for the info. It certainly makes sense to take advantage of all the technical graduates in Austin. (That's why Samsung and others are there.)

EDIT: to add, they do some "chip" work down in Austin. See this job posting: http://jobs.apple.com/index.ajs?BID=1&method=mExternal.showJob&RID=77768&CurrentPage=1

Not chip related, but that looks like one of the software jobs you mentioned. Thanks again!

 

[Swift]

Why the Austin money?

Is this Perry or the local council? Look, this is a great deal for Apple and for Austin. But really, Apple has a little spare cash. The money coming their way from government seems to be in the nature of a bribe. Corporations playing one city or state against each other. Billionaires stiffing the people.

Please, let's have a sports franchise, for which the city puts up the parking lot and offers enormous cash prices, all for the luxury of paying thousands a year for tickets in the clouds, schmoozing with the notables.

For a couple thousand parking lot jobs. Front office: Maybe 200 or so.

And the same party that decries state-business "collusion" wants that sports franchise!

I think the margins that Apple's likely to make on this investment pay for the damn investment.

 

[ryanakarye]

Intrinsity?

Don't forget that back in 2010 Apple acquired Austin-based Intrinsity that was rumored to be the team behind the development of the A4. Maybe they moved that sizable team to the Bay Area, but I was under the impression they were still in Austin at a location away from Apple's Austin campus.

 

[SeattleMoose]

Austin Is Nice

Lived in TX for 10 years about 70 miles east of Austin. Live in Seattle now but the "vibe" in both cities is similar. I like Austin.

 

[greenmeanie]

They need the mexicans to work cheap LOL.

I know I'm going to get downrank but texas of all places?

"Fight on!"

 

[SteveSparks]

Apple is happy for you to think that the campus in Austin is nothing but a call center, but Austin is really a place to design silicon. Lots of talent in Austin that can do some things with CPU's, memory and other micro controllers etc.

I would also expect Austin to play a role in International Sales Support. Although most of that is done in Ireland and will likely continue, I would not be surprised if Apple is not using Austin's considerable growing pool of Third Level support talent to provide large customer support. Have you ever integrated 500 ipads and iphones into a corporate environment? Think about ant fortune 1000 company who wants to make that happen. They will likely have a dedicated engineer at Apple that helps with the process. Austin has many people who specialize in these types of support and complex issues.

 

[mikefla]

This is great news! We can always use more high tech USA jobs. Apple doesn't need your grant money Texas, give that to small business. Unfortunately I don't live in Texas so no Apple job for me


-Mike

 

[reckless2k2]

Indirect Tax Office

I know their Indirect Tax Office covering North America is there. As the business grows (sales), I know they need more people in that area (compliance, audit defense, etc.). Certainly not a few thousand but I'm sure some of those jobs are to cover tax related functions.