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Report: Apple to Move Mac Mini Production to United States

By - Source: Digitimes | B 22 comments

Will the 2013 Mac minis be made in the USA?

A few weeks back, Apple's Tim Cook made headlines when he talked about making Macs in the United States. Traditionally put together in China, where labor is cheap, a select number of people that purchased a 2012 iMac were surprised to see their computer had been 'Assembled in the USA.' Tim Cook later confirmed that yes, Apple did have plans to manufacture one of its lines in the U.S. in 2013.

At the time, we assumed it was the iMac. After all, iMacs toting 'Assembled in the USA' stamps were already appearing at customers' doors. However, Digitimes this week reports that it's not the iMac that will be made in the USA next year. The publication cites sources from the upstream supply chain that say Apple is set to move its Mac mini production lines back to the U.S. Despite the new location, it seems Apple will be sticking with a manufacturer that it knows. According to Digitimes sources, Foxconn will be the company manufacturing these Mac minis. Digitimes reports that Foxconn will start recruiting workers for its new automated production lines in 2013.

What's not mentioned is which of Foxconn's 15 U.S. operating bases will be churning out these Mac minis. Regardless, the fact that the computers are being made in the USA is likely to give Apple reputation a bit of boost.

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Top Comments
  • 10 Hide
    jakes69 , December 27, 2012 5:25 PM
    they should move iphone production to the US. Mac Mini is probably the least popular product from Apple. This looks more a publicity stunt.
Other Comments
  • 8 Hide
    halcyon , December 27, 2012 4:45 PM
    Nice. Very nice. I'd like to see Dell and some other big manufacturers follow suite. Hate Apple all you want but at least they're doing something...and something is more than a lot of other large OEMs are doing.
  • Display all 22 comments.
  • 4 Hide
    halcyon , December 27, 2012 5:00 PM
    ^This is not the appropriate place for that. Folks are sensitive given all the sales-spam that is seen around these parts.
  • 3 Hide
    Mastashake15 , December 27, 2012 5:01 PM
    I dislike Apple, but this is a step in the right direction. Getting tired of seeing nearly everything made in China or some other useless country.
  • 2 Hide
    ipwn3r456 , December 27, 2012 5:04 PM
    Umm, sounds good. But what about pricing?
  • 2 Hide
    halcyon , December 27, 2012 5:09 PM
    ^ I doubt pricing will change. They're not gonna forsake ANY sales to bring assembly back home I'd think.
  • 10 Hide
    jakes69 , December 27, 2012 5:25 PM
    they should move iphone production to the US. Mac Mini is probably the least popular product from Apple. This looks more a publicity stunt.
  • -5 Hide
    nuvon , December 27, 2012 5:43 PM
    Good start! I guess iHaters have one less thing to complain....or hate...
  • 1 Hide
    Anonymous , December 27, 2012 5:51 PM
    yeah well try to get a job there. typical asian passive aggressive bullshit. their pretty little helpful webpages about getting a job at a us location all point to dead-ends.
  • 7 Hide
    kawininjazx , December 27, 2012 6:18 PM
    They have a high enough profit margin, and "assembling" in the US will help their image. Now imagine if they were actually "made" in the US.
  • 7 Hide
    jnjkele , December 27, 2012 9:18 PM
    'Made' in US as well as assembled would be nice, but guess what - it won't happen anytime soon and it has nothing to do with labor costs. Is anyone familiar with how a chip fab works? The bulk of the world's chip fabs that can churn out the complex stuff (not the nand flash you see micron making in the US) is located in asia, and getting a new one built here is a multi-billion dollar regulatory nightmare. Until someone fixes the regulatory mess, you won't see much new chip fab capacity on US soil.
  • 0 Hide
    halcyon , December 27, 2012 9:33 PM
    ^ Makes sense.
  • 2 Hide
    pedro_mann , December 27, 2012 9:40 PM
    jnjkele'Made' in US as well as assembled would be nice, but guess what - it won't happen anytime soon and it has nothing to do with labor costs. Is anyone familiar with how a chip fab works? The bulk of the world's chip fabs that can churn out the complex stuff (not the nand flash you see micron making in the US) is located in asia, and getting a new one built here is a multi-billion dollar regulatory nightmare. Until someone fixes the regulatory mess, you won't see much new chip fab capacity on US soil.

    What's funny, remember when IBM invented the hard drive, and they were all manufactured in the US to start with? What has happened since then?

    Remember that funny invention the transistor, made in the US. What has happened since then?

    So yeah, it will be hard to bring alot of manufacturing back to the US, but why did it leave in the first place? Corporate greed, I'de suspect. Problem is, the offshoring of manufacturing is part of the death spiral for our economy, and it may bee too late already.
  • 5 Hide
    khha4113 , December 27, 2012 10:56 PM
    HalcyonNice. Very nice. I'd like to see Dell and some other big manufacturers follow suite. Hate Apple all you want but at least their doing something...and something is more than a lot of other large OEMs are doing.

    FYI, this Foxconn's not Apple's move. Anyway, is HP already doing this as all of its sold US servers made here in US?
  • 1 Hide
    cRACKmONKEY421 , December 28, 2012 1:21 AM
    Foreign parts assembled in America by foreigners muahahaha

    Jokes aside, it's a baby step in the right direction. Always good to to keep jobs here.
  • 4 Hide
    CaedenV , December 28, 2012 3:16 AM
    Apple is doing squat. Foxconn is moving state side. The chips will still be made in China, while everything else will be put together state-side. This has very little to do with Apple wanting to make things in any particular area, and everything to do with our Gov'ts views on trade with China and their recent moves to 'level the playing field'.

    When the product is mostly sold here, and it becomes expensive to import to where the sales are, then you simply start manufacturing the product where it sells. Simple math, nothing more or less than that.

    I wonder if this will give displaced auto workers a line to work on? And I also wonder what the suicide rate will look like when unions are unable to get a foot-hold in foxconn.

    "Made in America" is only good for the country if it brings good medium to high paying jobs to America. Bringing low paid jobs to America, while corporate profits get shipped over seas is not exactly the 'progress' we are looking for.
  • 1 Hide
    rantoc , December 28, 2012 3:37 AM
    pedro_mannSo yeah, it will be hard to bring alot of manufacturing back to the US, but why did it leave in the first place? Corporate greed, I'd suspect. Problem is, the offshoring of manufacturing is part of the death spiral for our economy, and it may bee too late already.


    About every simulation about different government types have ended up with the conclusion that a ultra capitalistic society where there arent strong anti greed laws always end up dead in the water with a handful of ultra rich who owns 90%+ and the rest living in misery. Its due to a flaw in the human nature - greed where some have the need to stockpile wealth well beyond what can be consumed in generations ahead.
  • 2 Hide
    Marco925 , December 28, 2012 4:22 AM
    mt2eIm trying to save yall damn money don't downvote my comment lol



    Then make a forum thread in the appropriate section dude.
  • 0 Hide
    jcoa , December 28, 2012 11:09 PM
    Chances are these jobs will not be laborer jobs. For Foxcom to make a profit in the United States, the manufacturing plants will have to be automated. Therefore, the need for support personal, which would have to be trained, higher paying positions, would be necessary. It would also take income away from the Chinese labor force. Therefore helping the GNP. Baby steps my friends.
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