Rumor: Apple to bring Mac mini production to U.S. in 2013
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Apple will reportedly move manufacture of its Mac mini desktop line to American facilities as part of the company's initiative to return device production to U.S. shores, with plants run by partner Foxconn starting recruitment for automated production lines sometime in 2013.
The sometimes reliable Taiwanese publication DigiTimes cited upstream supply chain sources as saying Apple will likely move Mac mini production to one of Foxconn's U.S. plants, though it is unclear if the electronics giant plans to build a new facility or retool an existing location. Foxconn reportedly has "about 15 operating bases" in the U.S.
The rumored move has been foreshadowed by comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook, who earlier this month said the company will invest over $100 million to produce one line of Macs in the U.S. by 2013. In a separate interview at the "All Things D" conference in May, Cook said that he wanted to see American-made Apple products, but offered no further information on whether that dream would become a reality.
Hopes for American-made Apple products were rekindled when a few new iMac units were labeled as being "Assembled in USA," hinting that the company may be testing domestic production facilities.
According to the publication, Mac mini shipments are expected to reach 1.4 million units by the end of 2012, and will be up 30 percent year-to-year with 1.8 million units in 2013.
39 Comments
Well, it makes sense that the speculation about the Mac Pro being produced in the US would be wrong, since Apple doesn't care about Mac Pros.
You know, that sounds right. Not difficult or expensive manufacturing like the iDevices, not representative of a huge secrecy concern (like just about everything else), and it has probably become cheap enough to make here without changing any pricing anywhere.
Whoever said AI doesn't have a sense of humor.
Right. Just like Boeing manufactures the 787 in the US. Guessing this should impact the share price negatively.
Guessing this should impact the share price negatively.
Creating American jobs? That's another $20 off.
Selling more iPhones than all previous quarters combined? That's another $20 off.
Discovering a way to manufacture iMacs for only $1? That's another $20 off.
Well I guess it makes sense when most of the Mac Mini are being sold to US anyway. From Server to Desktop. So it doesn't make sense to assembled in China and send the final product back to US. But then this ignores the potential market in EU and Asia. What financial benefits does it have when product are made in US?