Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Thursday that the Macintosh computer maker will begin manufacturing computers in the U.S. Can this really be true? Is Apple slowly transforming into a non-evil company post-Steve Jobs? Debatable. Apple has recently been bashed for poor working conditions in its huge Chinese factory, Foxconn, that drove many employees to suicide. Well, Apple is turning over a new leaf and here are the top 10 facts you need to know.
1. Apple to Invest $100 Million in U.S. Based Manufacturing
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that they are planning to invest $100 million in manufacturing one of its Mac computer lines in the U.S. Apple won’t manufacture the computers itself, but will work with other companies in the effort, he told Bloomberg Businessweek.
“We’ve been working on this for a long time, and we were getting closer to it,” he told Bloomberg Businessweek. “We could have quickly maybe done just assembly, but it’s broader because we wanted to do something more substantial.”
2. Except for iPad and iPhone
This doesn’t mean Apple will manufacture all its products in the U.S. Cook didn’t say which Mac products would be made domestically, but it won’t be iPad or iPhone and only one Mac product line will be made in the U.S. exclusively.
3. First Time in 10 Years
Apple originally made its computer in California, but began outsourcing in the mid-90s.
4. Apple Manufactures and Assembles Most of its Products in China
5. Widely Criticized for Poor Working Conditions
Apple faced a shi*t ton of criticism recently when people found out about the working conditions at Foxconn, a Chinese manufacturing factory that makes Apple components. Employees suffered from low wage, excessive hours and living in crowded dormitories. The New York Times reported that the company had 18 suicides in just two years. It got so bad that nets were installed around the building so they could catch all the poor workers that tried to jump. Yeah, that bothered some people. Apple’s move to invest in bringing back some manufacturing to the U.S. is a good marketing move.
6. Labor Costs Account for Tiny Portion of Overall Expenses
When Apple makes an iPhone it costs them just two percent for labor and the rest is made up of buying parts. They can definitely afford to treat its employees better, especially when you think about how much the company reaps in profits.
7. Tim Cook May Not be as Evil as Steve Jobs
Investing in manufacturing products in the U.S. doesn’t sound like something Steve Jobs would do, a manager that was described as petulant and brittle. So maybe Tim Cook makes the company a little less evil. Don’t get me wrong; I still believe Apple is aiming for world domination next to Google. At least they might be a little bit nicer if they achieve it.
8. Cook Says Overseas Manufacturing Not Because of Lower Costs
Cook told NBC in another interview on Rock Center that cost has nothing to do with why Apple manufactures its products overseas. He said it’s because of a shortage of manufacturing skills in the U.S. I don’t know, sounds like bullsh*t to me. Give a man a dollar and he’ll learn any skill you teach him. Well, whatever the reason–whether as a marketing stunt or not–it’s baby steps toward a company with better integrity.
9. Lenovo to Bring Manufacturing to U.S. As Well
Let’s face it, Apple definitely isn’t the only company that manufactures its products overseas and probably not the only one that runs sweatshops, but Lenovo is starting to bring back manufacturing their products to the U.S., too.
10. News Comes a Day After Apple’s Worst Stock Drop
Apple’s stock took a 6.4 percent dive that was the biggest drop in a day in four years. Let’s see if the announcement will help it bounce back a bit.
10. Tim Cook May Not be as Evil as Steve Jobs
Investing in manufacturing products in the U.S. doesn’t sound like something Steve Jobs would do, a manager that was described as petulant and brittle. So maybe Tim Cook makes the company a little less evil. Don’t get me wrong; I still believe Apple is aiming for world domination next to Google. At least they might be a little bit nicer if they achieve it.