iPod Made in Vietnam?

[myrtlebee]

I picked up a new iPod shuffle from Amazon the other day and my earbuds are labeled "Vietnam" where all others I've ever had were labeled "China". Has anyone else ever seen this? In what other countries beside Vietnam and China are earbuds made? This has got me curious... I have never seen an Apple product made in Vietnam. I have heard that Apple plans to open a facility in Brazil in the future.

 

[myrtlebee]

457 thread views and crickets chirping - is it possible I have a one-of-a-kind set of earbuds? lol

 

[blueroom]

Post a photo.

 

[myrtlebee]

Post a photo.

The only camera I have is my iSight on my 2009 13 inch MBP- it's not capturing the tiny writing (it's light gray on even lighter gray and about a mm in height). There's not much to see, just the word Vietnam, unless you simply don't believe me. In which case I don't care, but I will post a picture tomorrow if I'm able to borrow another camera. I don't believe there is no one else out there with Vietnamese earbuds...

 

[Macman756]

I don't think it matters.

 

[chrispfeiffer21]

I have earphones that have been manufactured in Vietnam, they came with my iPod Shuffle as well, so you are not alone they work very well

 

[myrtlebee]

I don't think it matters.

Good for you. Thanks for this enlightening input...

I have earphones that have been manufactured in Vietnam, they came with my iPod Shuffle as well, so you are not alone they work very well

Yes, another one! Apparently we've got something pretty rare on our hands . Mine work great, too. Well.... guess I don't have to post a pic to prove myself and the thread can die since I now know a factory wasn't opened for the sole purpose of producing my set of earbuds Still semi-curious if there are any Brazillian earbuds through...

 

[ftaok]

I have never seen an Apple product made in Vietnam. I have heard that Apple plans to open a facility in Brazil in the future.

Not that it matters, but technically Apple doesn't have any factories. They contract out the manufacture of all of their hardware. As for the Brazilian factory, it's a Foxconn factory to make iPhones ... and it's already opened. I think, initially, the iPhones from Brazil are sold in Brazil (something to do with import taxes in Brazil being crazy high).

As for the earbuds, I suspect that they go with whichever manufacturer that will give them the lowest price at an acceptable quality level. Don't be surprised if you get a set of earbuds from Mexico or Guatemala eventually. Factories will open up whereever you get a conditions that favor manufacturing ... typically, low cost labor, reasonably easy access to key components, political/financial incentives, etc.

 

[myrtlebee]

Not that it matters, but technically Apple doesn't have any factories.

Without going into technicalities, that's what I meant. I tried to keep it as simple as possible to get to my point. I know about Foxconn. I also know that individual components are made by other companies, Samsung and LG for iPad, for example. The fact that the Brazilian factory produces iPhones (did not know it was in active production, though) doesn't exclude them from manufacturing earbuds.

 

[ftaok]

Without going into technicalities, that's what I meant. I tried to keep it as simple as possible to get to my point. I know about Foxconn. I also know that individual components are made by other companies, Samsung and LG for iPad, for example. The fact that the Brazilian factory produces iPhones (did not know it was in active production, though) doesn't exclude them from manufacturing earbuds.

OK, thanks for the clarification.

Incidentally, I just did a quick Google search and it turns out (according to Wikipedia) that all Apple earbuds are manufactured by Fostex, a Japanese company. The wiki doesn't say too much about their manufacturing, but their website talks about the manufacture of their professional equipment. I think they used to make their pro gear in Japan, but there's a paragraph that they now design the gear for manufacture in China.

I'm guessing that earbuds don't fall into their pro line of gear. I guess they saw an opportunity to make the earbuds more cost effectively by doing so in Vietnam.

 

[myrtlebee]

OK, thanks for the clarification.

Incidentally, I just did a quick Google search and it turns out (according to Wikipedia) that all Apple earbuds are manufactured by Fostex, a Japanese company. The wiki doesn't say too much about their manufacturing, but their website talks about the manufacture of their professional equipment. I think they used to make their pro gear in Japan, but there's a paragraph that they now design the gear for manufacture in China.

I'm guessing that earbuds don't fall into their pro line of gear. I guess they saw an opportunity to make the earbuds more cost effectively by doing so in Vietnam.

Thanks for the info. I guess it makes me totally nerdy to be interested in something as mundane as this.... but hey, it's MacRumors - nerds allowed.

 

[japonska.cesnja]

I picked up a new iPod shuffle from Amazon the other day and my earbuds are labeled "Vietnam" where all others I've ever had were labeled "China". Has anyone else ever seen this? In what other countries beside Vietnam and China are earbuds made? This has got me curious... I have never seen an Apple product made in Vietnam. I have heard that Apple plans to open a facility in Brazil in the future.

Hey you guys!

I also have the Vietnam earphones! yay
Im just curious-where did you buy yours?
Europe by any chance?

Oh, and I almost forgot: what ipod did you get the Vietnam earphones with?

 

[myrtlebee]

Hey you guys!

I also have the Vietnam earphones! yay
Im just curious-where did you buy yours?
Europe by any chance?

Oh, and I almost forgot: what ipod did you get the Vietnam earphones with?

Amazon, USA.

Also, I bought an iPod shuffle when this was posted and it was the one with the Vietnam earbuds, AND I just recently, about a month ago, bought an iPod Touch, also from Amazon, that had Vietnam earbuds. Seems to me, they are fairly common with new hardware.

 

[Scott Baret]

Apple has historically used factories in more than one location to ramp up production of certain items. Usually, these items will be nearly impossible to distinguish, although slight differences do exist in some products.

Most of the products with discernible differences are input devices from the distant past. Original ADB mice made in Taiwan use a lightweight black ball with a different retaining ring than the ones made in Malaysia and the US, both of which have heavier grey balls. (The clickers on the Malaysian and American models are slightly different). The ADB keyboards made in Mexico used softer keyswitches than those made in other countries.