Last week, United States President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal that Apple had plans to build three "big, big, big" manufacturing plants in the United States, a statement that allegedly came from Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Unsurprisingly, Cook was questioned about the president's statement during the question and answer portion of today's earnings call, and he deftly dodged it by highlighting Apple's overall efforts to increase jobs in the United States.
Cook said Apple has created two million jobs in the United States, across three separate categories. The first, responsible for about 2/3rds of those jobs, is the App Store and the Apple developer community.
Cook said Apple is making an enormous effort in this area by encouraging children and college students to get into coding through Swift-based curriculum that's been introduced in schools around the world.
The second category, according to Cook, is Apple's manufacturing purchases. Last year, Apple purchased $50 billion in goods and services from U.S. based suppliers, and has been aiming to increase that. Apple in May announced a $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund meant to encourage innovation among U.S.-based manufacturers. Corning became the first recipient of the fund in mid-May, and Cook says the money will be used to expand the company's Kentucky plant to make innovative glass.
"There are several plants that can benefit from having some investment to grow, expand, or set up ship in the U.S. for the first time," said Cook. "We're excited."
The third category relates to Apple's own facilities in the United States, like its Cupertino-based campuses that employ thousands of employees. Cook didn't have much to say about this category, but he hinted at announcements coming later this year, potentially giving some weight to Trump's statement about job creation.
"Two thirds of our employee base is in the United States, despite only one third of revenue being here," Cook said. "We have some things we'll say about that later in the year."
Cook said that Apple does feel that it has a responsibility to create jobs in the United States. "We do view that we have a responsibility in the United States to increase economic activity and increase jobs. Apple could only have been created here," Cook said.
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Top Rated Comments
To great heights and created Jobs all over the country, making Apple the most profitable company in the world. Stop making it sound as if he is not capable of leading Apple. He is a leader and leading this Company accordingly.
They invest in facilities and the companies that own the facilities, and then also buying products and services from those companies.
They don't do their own manufacturing with Apple-owned plants.
[doublepost=1501627217][/doublepost]He was saying they were particularly excited about a particular front. Nothing wrong with that.
You'll notice they don't say they are excited about the future of the iPod line; rather, perhaps extremely proud of its past.
What's more, Apple has as much right as any other company to express excitement. It is certainly NOT a "telltale sign" of incompetence. Give me a break.
1. No update for entry level Mac, as in Mac Mini. Last update 1020 days and crippled with minimal ability to update/upgrade
2. iMac Pro: Overuse of 'Pro' for too many reasons....and overpriced. I predict there will be quality issues
3. Promise of an 'improved Mac Pro"..Any word on this? See #2 above...Hmmmm.
4.Tim being excited with a 'pipeline' that doesn't seem to generate anything new and exciting. Promises, Promises...
5.Apple Music..use to get 'Radio' for free. Now have to deal with subscription. I like to own my music, not paying $10 a month to have to search/listen, deal with Urban DJ's. (IMHO)
6. Apple TV...where were we...???
At least Tim is not going to feed Trump's ego by committing to 'big, big, big factories' Manufacturing in USA is now down to IT and robotics. Jobs (Steve or otherwise) are not coming back in the numbers we used to have.
Too much money in the bank with not much to show....IMHO.
We have become a society of demanding instant gratification, but not willing to strive for making our USA a better place to live.
Rant out.....
You just don't simply say you're excited about something you've no idea how to answer honestly when it's really beating around the bushes. It sounds like Tim's full of it if he keeps telegraphing the " excited this, excited that " line. It's a dodgy attitude. Trust me. I can smell a liar when a person keeps using that line over and over, unable to be more articulate in detail and sophistication.
[doublepost=1501628163][/doublepost]We'll see how he acts on the next keynote sweating like a pig regarding the iPhone 8, especially Phil who might attempt to insult our intelligence again. I'll bet you they're going to use a comedy introduction video in the start of the September keynote to allay any sense of fear coming from Apple, proving 'everything is all rosy' just because of the recent iphone 8 leak.
This September is THE keynote that will either tarnish his reputation, or not.