Why the iPhone is made in China

Published on January 23, 2012 By Draginol In Mobile Tech

There’s been a lot of talk about the New York Times article on why Iphones are made in china.

If you haven’t read it, you can find the article here.

I was reading comments on Slashdot and it was apparent that most of them didn’t read the article. They assumed it was all because of “cheap labor”.

According to the article, it has more to do with the type of expertise that is readily available there – lots of people with mid level technical knowledge (i.e. people with say 2 year degree equivalents) that tend to get poo-pooed here in the US.

One thing that I found interesting was the number of people who place the blame on Apple for making these choices even as Americans outsource every day when they purchase products that say clearly “Made in China”.

Comments (Page 3)

k10w3

on Jan 24, 2012

I think this is a good first step and bringing US jobs back within our own borders. The official text is here, and you can e-mail your representatives from within the site: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3596/text

LightStar

on Jan 24, 2012

k10w3

reply 31

There's a bill in congress right now, H.R.3596, the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act, that would "require a publicly available a list of all employers that relocate a call center overseas and to make such companies ineligible for Federal grants or guaranteed loans and to require disclosure of the physical location of business agents engaging in customer service communications."

I think this is a good first step and bringing US jobs back within our own borders. The official text is here, and you can e-mail your representatives from within the site: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3596/text[/quote]

Yes! Now that's a good start if it passes.

Frogboy

on Jan 24, 2012

That seems reasonable.

Frogboy

on Jan 24, 2012

Because saintly Steve Jobs wanted to make a billion not half-billion.

American corporations have no allegiance to this country only the almighty dollar.

Much like American consumers who think nothing about buying things made in China.

DsRaider

on Jan 24, 2012

k10w3

reply 31

It's good to know that US politicians are still up to there normal great performance. See this short article. Like I said before globalization has hidden a lot of other trends. I was talking about manufacturing before but the same thing applies here as well. Those jobs are never coming back, even without outsourcing.

Alstein

on Jan 24, 2012

myfist0

reply 1

WTF, now I have to login to see that article?

I guess I better stop quoting an article with a link to it as I will probably be extradited.

Well I found it and I like the "flexibility, diligence and industrial skills of foreign workers"

flexibility = 80 hr work week
diligence = no bathroom breaks
industrial skills = they can work a screw gun

All while living in a dorm no better than prison conditions in Canada. No wonder there is nets to keep people from jumping.

Rupert Murdoch thinks people will pay to read his news website. That's why.

That said, the sweatshop conditons are still better then not being there. Just like it was pre-union America. when folks who wanted the rights we took for granted were assaulted and killed, often with government approval.

Frogboy

reply 34

Because saintly Steve Jobs wanted to make a billion not half-billion.

American corporations have no allegiance to this country only the almighty dollar.

Much like American consumers who think nothing about buying things made in China.

The choice is a lot easier when you've got a lot of money, then when you don't. Success is a combination of talent, hard work, and luck, you need all three to be successful. Not everyone can be successful, and the current economic disparities make it harder for an individual to be reasonably successful. It's hard to know how difficult success is when you've been successful, you often assume everyone can do it.

Wrote a book and got off-topic, so I'll cut out what I said.

DsRaider

on Jan 24, 2012

RavenX

reply 25

In the past every time there was so much eccess population there was a world war to take out a large chunk and then what-ever countries are left tend to go through a golden growth phase. I think the next WW will probably see US soil being invaded and since that's where I live I'm not exactly routing for that to happen.

This reflects a very poor understanding of Economics. If you kill off a lot of people then you have a lot less consumers and thus you need less workers to supply them with goods. The size and population of a country has nothing to do with it's employment level.

DrJBHL

on Jan 24, 2012

Frogboy

reply 34

Much like American consumers who think nothing about buying things made in China.

Finally.

But in truth, there's an alternative?

Jafo

on Jan 24, 2012

DrJBHL

reply 38

But in truth, there's an alternative?

Sure...you can always think nothing about buying things made in Europe ...

RavenX

on Jan 24, 2012

DsRaider

reply 37

Quoting RavenX, reply 25In the past every time there was so much eccess population there was a world war to take out a large chunk and then what-ever countries are left tend to go through a golden growth phase. I think the next WW will probably see US soil being invaded and since that's where I live I'm not exactly routing for that to happen.

This reflects a very poor understanding of Economics. If you kill off a lot of people then you have a lot less consumers and thus you need less workers to supply them with goods. The size and population of a country has nothing to do with it's employment level.

I was kinda going off on a thing about wars there, not sure why really. I'd have to say when it comes to population though it does have a lot to do with economics. There are lots of countries out there with HUGE populations, much larger than the US, and it seems to me the larger the population the larger portion, and a disproportionate part as well, that is poor. No matter how "rich" a country might be, it will be guaranteed to have a large portion of the population that is poor. Look at Saudi Arabia, a country that brings in enough wealth that every one of it's citizens could be a millionaire, and yet they still have poor and homeless people begging in the streets. A large part of their population still live in buildings with no electricity or plumbing. Why? Because they aren't getting a share of oil wealth just because they live in that country.

wbino

on Jan 24, 2012

The only way is to put up trade barriers. The only thing that should be imported are things we can't get here naturally, like good coffee.lol The only trouble is with the pro corporate media, and government it will never happen they would cry socialism at the first mention. Sure you might pay more for things,but in the long run you will be boosting up your own income. The middle class cannot compete with someone half a world away being paid pennies to the dollar.

Alstein

on Jan 24, 2012

Trade barriers are just holding off the inevitable.

Addressing income inequality is probably the fairest solution to maximize net social benefit.

RavenX

on Jan 24, 2012

Alstein

reply 42

Trade barriers are just holding off the inevitable.

Addressing income inequality is probably the fairest solution to maximize net social benefit.

Indeed. It'll be a cold day in hell before that happens though.

Alstein

on Jan 24, 2012

RavenX

reply 43

Quoting Alstein, reply 42Trade barriers are just holding off the inevitable.

Addressing income inequality is probably the fairest solution to maximize net social benefit.

Indeed. It'll be a cold day in hell before that happens though.

I'm thinking 10-20 years. Just gotta have boomers start dying off.

Jafo

on Jan 25, 2012

Alstein

reply 44

I'm thinking 10-20 years. Just gotta have boomers start dying off.

Oh, thanks...I'll just pop off this mortal coil, then and all your worries will be over.

Jafo contemplates executing rugrats.....

Dust off and nuke them from space....only way to be sure....

Yes, Ripley's a 'boomer' too....

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