Apple has added two China-based manufacturers to its list of MacBook chassis suppliers in an effort to push down prices quoted by Taiwan-based makers, according to a new report today by DigiTimes.
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China-based Shenzhen Everwin Precision Technology and AAC Technologies are said to have obtained Apple certification in 2017, and this year they began small-volume shipments of the metal-alloy chassis for Apple's notebook line-up.
Previous years saw Taiwan-based Catcher Technology, Foxconn Technology and Casetek Holdings dominate the supply of MacBook chassis, and Apple reportedly intends to continue relying on them because of their excellent manufacturing capabilities, but not before it has capitalized on the Chinese makers' lower production costs.
DigiTimes' sources indicate that for Taiwan makers, competition from China rivals will have more impact on their gross margins than on order volumes. To offset the impact, Taiwan companies have increasingly sought orders from Chinese brand vendors of high-end devices like laptops. Responding to the rumored potential of Chinese competition for Apple's business, for example, Catcher said its outlook for 2018 remained unchanged.
Apple is expected to release a new low-cost MacBook Air later this year that will be similar in design to the current MacBook Air, but with slimmer bezels around the display. Based on the latest rumor, the new machine will be a straight MacBook Air upgrade aimed at students and schools, with a lower price tag than MacBooks in the MacBook family.
It remains unclear how a new 13-inch Retina MacBook Air fits in with Apple's existing 12-inch Retina MacBook lineup, so the company's plans for its upcoming notebook range could still throw up a surprise or two.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)To much dependency on China.
News flash: Apple is a huge, multi-national corporation out to make money, like every other huge, multi-national corporation. None of them are interested in tribalism either -- they're chasing the best/cheapest labor and manufacturing conditions and the highest-yielding markets. For now, the source of labor is Asia and the markets are largely North America and Europe. Best believe that as circumstances shift, so too will their market priorities. You can keep buying the populist narrative of countries "hating America" but big captial is "to" busy making money to care.To bad Apple can't manufacture these parts in countries that don't hate America.
Diversifying your suppliers can reduce risk - risk of delay/failure/low yield/economic issues.
It often comes at a cost, mainly duplication of many jobs/processes. But in large volume products, it does introduce competitiveness, of quality and cost.
To much dependency on China.
Hating America is a strong term and wrong. China has a vested interest – an understatement – in the well being of the US economy. There are so many variables in complex international relationships not one of us can profess to understand it nor see the whole picture. Here is one aspect of the US/China relationship that many have probably heard of, but do you know really what it means?To bad Apple can't manufacture these parts in countries that don't hate America.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/080615/china-owns-us-debt-how-much.asp
[Aside: IMO you don't fix anything with a tariff war, but hey, I'm not a politician nor an economist.]