Trump Believes Apple Could Manufacture iPhones in the U.S.

[Reason077]

Either way it would be just for domestic US market. Just like India forced Apple's hand.

Apple’s manufacturing in India is legit and not intended just for the domestic market. Even before the tariff debacle, Apple intended to scale India up to something like 30% of global iPhone production in the coming years.

Brazil would be a more appropriate example, where Apple does assemble a small number of iPhones just for the local market.

 

[HarryWild]

President Trump wants to create more U.S. high paying manufacturing jobs because tech and middle manager and white collar jobs are being phased out by AI. People have have jobs to have a life!

 

[ProVideo]

The great economist Ron Vara believes they could.

 

[jonnyb098]

I think China should be more worried about not being able to steal IP if companies move manufacturing out of there.

Things are about to get VERY interesting.

 

[Wanted797]

Tim’s comments about using Chinese labour are perfect marketing speak.

They are “technically correct” while ignoring the question.

I know for a fact the rather large company I work for in Australia has many offshore developers in India. Internally if you need a dev you can actually choose to request on vs offshore (timezones can be important). But I have literally seen that offshore developers cost your business unit HALF that of an onshore one. Noting that its not actual pay they get as there other factors like leave etc that we see all wrapped up in a “resource costing.”

While Tim is probably correct. I’d bet my life savings Apple is choosing these countries for unskilled work exactly for low wage reasons.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I'll judge Tariffs about two years from now. Until then, I'm just glad something other than the norm is being done, cause the status quo hasn't been working.

 

[Calle68]

The only issue here is me: I cannot afford a 3k iPhone or a 100€ Apple One subscription.

 

[Velli]

Nice try. The last guy literally could not talk and what did come out what half completed mumbling at a whisper tone....and he fell over many times in public. But please.... go on.

Let me introduce you to a novel concept: It is 100% possible to believe both are incompetent.

The thing that boggles my mind even more than half the population electing Trump, is that the other half can’t find a single competent human being to put up against him.

But facts are facts. No matter how incompetent Biden was, he did not throw a handgrenade into the US economy like Trump just did.

 

[Will Co]

I suppose it’s possible that Trump and his cadre of sycophants might be doing something that will be good for America. But it seems that every respected and experienced economist thinks otherwise. Who is right? I guess time will tell. I know where my money is.

 

[canadianreader]

Sure, and fully automated factories can get built in a week, and they're free to make! No investment in time or money that the consumer would have to pay for at all! /s

All of these processes have costs. Whether it's labor in the U.S. or overseas, transportation/supply chain of parts & materials and finished products, or building entirely new factories as you suggest. They cost money and time.

All of that is why so much work is done in China now - because the people who know the costs of producing these devices have already determined that the current setup is less expensive than other options.

Are they looking at a future where most labor is AI-powered robots? Sure. Is that future ready now? Nope.

Maybe we're not there yet but something is for sure people aren't emotionally ready to be replaced by AI or robots. Especially people who believe in Trump's tariffs and his overall plan. It's a little hypocritical that more people integrate some sort ChatGPTs in their everyday life but it's not ok for corporations to do the same.

 

[dms_91]

Apple is doomed! Always wanted to say that.

yet, you're here posting and commenting...

 

[HarryWild]

In fully automated factories, with minimal human supervision

Humans will be used to repair and update robots, program and setup new assembly lines. Think of a factory as a home now! Repair home, paint, fix and update exterior and interiors like rooms, equipment, water, electrical service.

 

[0049190]

Maybe Apple should just leave the U.S. and concentrate on selling devices in other markets.

I mean… they can still design iPhones in the U.S.
But the trade balance will improve by importing fewer phones.

I don’t think they could afford to do that. Their only realistic option is hope Trump reaches a trade deal with India or Vietnam and shift as much of their manufacturing to those sites as soon as possible leaving the manufacturing sites in China to produce iPhones for sale outside of the US.

 

[Velli]

They could just do most of it using automation with final quality checks by humans.

No, because then they would have already. They already have suppliers that are the world leading experts in automated production. How is moving the production into a country with less skill in automated production going to speed up that process?

 

[Ricebucket]

cnn has a good video on this topic today:

 

[Velli]

President Trump wants to create more U.S. high paying manufacturing jobs because tech and middle manager and white collar jobs are being phased out by AI. People have have jobs to have a life!

Since when was manufacturing jobs “high paying”?

 

[npmacuser5]

Trump is missing the US cost of living in his thought processes. The only way we can produce really anything less expensive, automation. Automation does not create manufacturing jobs, it removes them. A significant failure.

 

[jarman92]

I thought of Quality Control that could be done by humans
I don't know if you remember Liam the recycling robot

So that shows recycling can be automated but says nothing about assembly.

Those robots are also very expensive and aren’t capable of anything close to necessary capacity.

 

[AppliedMicro]

but then he says we’d have to leave it to the medical experts, which shows he knows he’s out of his depth

• Being out of one’s depth about medical science and conceding it on TV is one thing.
• Injecting disinfectant into bodies to knock out a respiratory virus “in a minute” is another.

One of the two shows an astonishing lack of common sense and basic (secondary) education.

 

[imamacperson]

So we can create the iPhone in this country but we can't put one together in this country?
I would think assembling an iPhone is much easier than creating one.
Surely we are capable of doing this in the USA.

 

[Doomtomb]

Tesla figured out how to find the people... in Fremont... in Buffalo... in Sparks... in Austin.

This excuse is just that - an excuse. We do have the people and the skills, you just don't want to pay for it.

 

[magicschoolbus]

I've always wanted to grow up and solder iPhones

 

[System603]

Apple’s manufacturing in India is legit and not intended just for the domestic market. Even before the tariff debacle, Apple intended to scale India up to something like 30% of global iPhone production in the coming years.

Brazil would be a more appropriate example, where Apple does assemble a small number of iPhones just for the local market.

You’re indeed absolutely right. I was referring specifically to the domestic-satisfaction aspect of the reasoning for production in India, but it’s more like a ‘two birds with one stone’ situation there. I should’ve clarified that more clearly. Also thanks for a more straightforward example with Brazil.

I'll try to edit my original message to better emphesise this.

 

[jason4427]

I abhor tariffs. To do tariffs during a long-lasting inflationary cycle is monumentally stupid. To see Republicans (for the most part) embracing this idiotic policy is disheartening. To see Democrats suddenly loving free-market economics is nice though.

Autarky is a recipe for failure and WILL put us into a recession.

Apple could make iPhones here, yes, but nobody wants to pay $2k for a base model phone.

Agreed.

 

[Kar98]

Ill need to sell my kidney to afford the iPhone 20

Somebody’s kidney anyway.