The M5 Apple Vision Pro arrives with few surprises in its design or features. Behind the scenes, Apple has quietly moved production outside of China.

Apple's M5 Apple Vision Pro is set to roll out to customers on Wednesday, September 22. While ostensibly the second generation, it introduces little beyond the jump from M2 to M5

But something else has changed — where the Apple Vision Pro is being made.

While Apple continues to make most of its iPhone models in China, the company has shifted that strategy for the Apple Vision Pro. As Bloomberg points out, the headset is Apple's lowest-volume product.

That makes it a solid candidate for producing elsewhere. And, according to the packaging on the updated model, the M5 Apple Vision Pro is now being assembled in Vietnam.

Why Vietnam and why now?

Apple has struggled to diversify its supply chain for years. In the Trump Administration's first term, the President ordered companies to move away from production in China or risk paying a 25% tariff on imported goods.

Apple was able to dodge the tariffs the first time, thanks to some quick thinking by Apple CEO Tim Cook. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the end of Apple's supply chain woes.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought Apple's supply chain to a screeching halt. While the disruption would have affected Apple anywhere, its centralized operations in China meant it had to rely on China's government reopening the factories.

When President Trump assumed office a second time in 2024, he immediately began to lay the groundwork for the tariffs that weren't enforced his first time around. Once again, Apple was caught between a rock and a hard place.

And, unfortunately, the company remains in that spot to this day. Diversifying takes time and money, and too much diversification too quickly could burn bridges it's built with the China.

But keeping its supply chain centralized isn't much better, either. The company would be susceptible to any fallout from trade wars, natural disasters, or localized disruptions to the supply chain.

So, Apple continues to make moves such as this. It is implementing incremental changes to offset potential tariffs while not angering long-time trade partners.

But even those "small" changes have a big impact. Apple's India iPhone supply chain created more than 350,000 jobs in the span of five years.

Vietnam is a logical choice for further diversification, having hosted Apple device assembly in the past. The company is reportedly planning to continue the trend with its new Home Hub, set to launch in early 2026.