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A Tiny Screw Shows Why iPhones Won't Be 'Assembled in U.S.A.'
In China, you will also find one of Apple's most important markets, and over the last month the risks that come with that dependence have become apparent. On Jan. 2, Apple said it would miss earnings expectations for the first time in 16 years, mostly because of slowing iPhone sales in China. On Tuesday, the company is expected to reveal more details about its financial results for the most recent quarter and its forecast for the coming year.
In 2012, Apple's chief executive, Timothy D. Cook, went on prime-time television to announce that Apple would make a Mac computer in the United States. It would be the first Apple product in years to be manufactured by American workers, and the top-of-the-line Mac Pro would come with an unusual inscription: "Assembled in USA."
But when Apple began making the $3,000 computer in Austin, Tex., it struggled to find enough screws, according to three people who worked on the project and spoke on the condition of anonymity because of confidentiality agreements.
In China, Apple relied on factories that can produce vast quantities of custom screws on short notice. In Texas, where they say everything is bigger, it turned out the screw suppliers were not.
Tests of new versions of the computer were hamstrung because a 20-employee machine shop that Apple's manufacturing contractor was relying on could produce at most 1,000 screws a day.
The company could face more financial pressure if the Trump administration places tariffs on phones made in China — something the president has threatened to do.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 29 2019, @11:52PM (1 child)
Complacent I think is not quite the right word (close though). More like not enough competition. What you experienced from Shenzhen is competition. You could ring up 20+ guys who would do the same thing. They know that. Where you are at it sounds like there are maybe 3. Silicon Valley used to be like that. Now it is just software.
(Score: 2) by Rich on Wednesday January 30 2019, @02:37PM
Well, first, I'm not a native speaker to pick it, and already was aware that it didn't perfectly fit, but even if I was, I couldn't find a word that exactly fits. I had a look in the thesaurus and there was none.
I therefore propose a new word: "satignant". It is a contraction from latin "satur" (stuffed, full) and "ignavus" (lazy, cowardly, inactive).
Examples:
During a production planning meeting for an electronic device:
Engineer 1: They would outright reject our manufacturing inquiry, because our PCB had a dozen THT parts.
Engnieer 2: They're a totally satignant shop, they only do what they can easily run through their pick'n'place.
During a joint US/Russian air meet, while watching an air display.
Young US pilot: Look at these huge turns, they're not pulling proper G-forces.
Young Russian pilot: Too many colonels. Is same in Russia. Become satignant.