Apple's largest research lab outside the US opens in China

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Apple has opened a new testing and development lab for the iPhone and Apple Vision Pro in Shenzhen, China, with plans for 1,000 staff.

City skyline with tall buildings at dusk, one standout building shaped like a tapered cylinder, with a sun reflection.
Buildings in Shenzhen, China [Source: Pexels/Lywin]



As first revealed when under construction in July 2024, the new research center is part of the company's expanding R&D efforts in China. According to the South China Morning Post, the new lab opened on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

Situated in Shenzhen Park in Hetao, around seven miles from the Apple Holiday Plaza Shenzhen store, the lab currently spans 215,000 square feet. Expected to expand later, the lab is part of the region's Greater Bay Area economic development hub.

Said to be for testing and research concerning the company's major products, specifically the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. It's not clear how many staff are now working at the lab, but reportedly the intention is to ultimately employ over 1,000 people.

Shenzhen has long been the site of Apple's major manufacturing partners in China. Apple has also been conducting research and development in the city since around 2017.

The new research lab comes as Apple has been increasingly moving its production away from China, to new facilities in countries such as India and Vietnam.

However, most recently, a fire at a key factory in India may force Apple to move back a proportion of its iPhone manufacturing to China.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    Pemapema Posts: 209member
    Great. If the paranoid Western press are to be trusted every China anything is tied into the Chinese government: Temu, Shein, Ali Baba all the EV car manufacturers. All the products that are Chinese in origin, not built in China, are a conduit for the Chinese government. So, say you buy a Chinese EV. The car very likely has a bug planted behind the dash that transmits everything you say and do directly to the Chinese Politburo. 

    But now I read this. Apple is building the 2nd largest research lab in China. So has Apple become a Chinese stooge? I mean that's how a syllogism works. 


     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 21
    Tesla just showcased a bunch of walking talking androids. Where's Apple? They have a bazillion dollars for research and development. Why aren't they at the forefront of robotics? I've been waiting years for the day Tim Apple says "Oh yeah, one more thing..." and the Siri android walks out and says "Hello!" to the world. All we seem to get (during those hyper-polished keynotes) are thinner software-gimped iPads, 1mm larger watches and imperceptibly different (and more expensive) yearly iPhones. If Steve were alive today, he'd not have 4-5 SKUs just for AirPods. I'm kinda shocked we don't have AirTag Pros in 5 different colors yet. I have been an Apple fan since the Apple II. I owned the first Mac. Apple has clearly lost it's ability to innovate and Tesla just fed them their lunch.
    elijahgScot1williamlondongrandact73phils
     4Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 3 of 21
    inklinginkling Posts: 775member
    Putting a research lab in China makes no sense. China has a well-deserved reputation for intellectual property theft. That's bad enough with the items are already in production. It's far worse to have ideas stolen when they're still under development. China could be releasing Apple-designed products before Apple itself does so.

    Crazy, crazy, crazy.
    command_flotonesmarklarkRick601watto_cobra
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 21
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,142member
    No way they’re doing serious research in the CCP’s China, home of corporate espionage and theft. 
    lotonesmarklarkwilliamlondonwatto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 5 of 21
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,142member
    Zirlin said:
    Tesla just showcased a bunch of walking talking androids. Where's Apple? They have a bazillion dollars for research and development. Why aren't they at the forefront of robotics? I've been waiting years for the day Tim Apple says "Oh yeah, one more thing..." and the Siri android walks out and says "Hello!" to the world. All we seem to get (during those hyper-polished keynotes) are thinner software-gimped iPads, 1mm larger watches and imperceptibly different (and more expensive) yearly iPhones. If Steve were alive today, he'd not have 4-5 SKUs just for AirPods. I'm kinda shocked we don't have AirTag Pros in 5 different colors yet. I have been an Apple fan since the Apple II. I owned the first Mac. Apple has clearly lost it's ability to innovate and Tesla just fed them their lunch.
    lol that event was terrible. No details on the cars, all vaporware and hand waiving. Nobody has androids worth talking about - did you see how terrible they were in attendee vids posted to Twitter? Rock paper scissors was a challenge. Everybody has the same battery limitations. 

    Oh you knew Jobs well, did you! lol. No. Jobs cut the Mac line down because the company was failing financially and needed more wood, fewer arrows. Not the Apple of today, as market leader it’s more important to deal with “pricing umbrellas”, look it up. 

    Suckers fall for the Musk glitter but it’s still nonsense. 
    edited October 2024
    lotoneswilliamlondonrobin hubermuthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 21
    lotoneslotones Posts: 114member
    inkling said:
    Putting a research lab in China makes no sense. China has a well-deserved reputation for intellectual property theft. That's bad enough with the items are already in production. It's far worse to have ideas stolen when they're still under development. China could be releasing Apple-designed products before Apple itself does so.

    Crazy, crazy, crazy.
    I agree. All it takes is for the Chinese government to declare everything researched in that lab belongs to them. They just arrested 4 Taiwanese executives for being Taiwanese in China. How many more literal red flags do you need?
    command_fwilliamlondonRick601watto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 7 of 21
    lotones said:
    inkling said:
    Putting a research lab in China makes no sense. China has a well-deserved reputation for intellectual property theft. That's bad enough with the items are already in production. It's far worse to have ideas stolen when they're still under development. China could be releasing Apple-designed products before Apple itself does so.

    Crazy, crazy, crazy.
    I agree. All it takes is for the Chinese government to declare everything researched in that lab belongs to them. They just arrested 4 Taiwanese executives for being Taiwanese in China. How many more literal red flags do you need?
    Or for the Chinese government to quietly strong-arm individual employees to pass over IP or lose their liberty, home or who knows what. That would be cheaper and easier than the hacking campaigns already being waged against Western companies. In this case, just because you're paranoid definitely does not mean that they're not out to get you.
    williamlondonlotoneswatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 8 of 21
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,680member
    No way they’re doing serious research in the CCP’s China, home of corporate espionage and theft. 
    Apple has a research lab in Zurich. They have one in Israel. Both are way smaller than the two mainland-China R&D labs, but this newest facility will be dedicated to research in Apple's current products line (Vision Pro, iPhone, iPad), while the older one is being expanded for more materials research.
    edited October 2024
    dewmemuthuk_vanalingam
     0Likes 0Dislikes 2Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 21
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 8,103member
    No way they’re doing serious research in the CCP’s China, home of corporate espionage and theft. 
    We know this centre is for applied research. Apple, AFAIK, isn't doing much fundamental research anywhere. 

    The centre is also on Huawei turf. They have another in San Diego on Qualcomm turf. 

    Perhaps hoping to pick up talent in those hubs. 

    robin hubermuthuk_vanalingam
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 21
    philsphils Posts: 25member
    Zirlin said:
    Tesla just showcased a bunch of walking talking androids. Where's Apple? They have a bazillion dollars for research and development. Why aren't they at the forefront of robotics? I've been waiting years for the day Tim Apple says "Oh yeah, one more thing..." and the Siri android walks out and says "Hello!" to the world. All we seem to get (during those hyper-polished keynotes) are thinner software-gimped iPads, 1mm larger watches and imperceptibly different (and more expensive) yearly iPhones. If Steve were alive today, he'd not have 4-5 SKUs just for AirPods. I'm kinda shocked we don't have AirTag Pros in 5 different colors yet. I have been an Apple fan since the Apple II. I owned the first Mac. Apple has clearly lost its ability to innovate and Tesla just fed them their lunch.
    Zirlin, 

    I share your sentiments. I’ve been an Apple customer for years—long before iPhones and iPods—and it’s disheartening to see how the company has drifted from its original path. There’s a certain arrogance in their presentations now, they feel impersonal, and no one there has the same charisma that Steve Jobs had. Since his passing, Apple has been recycling the same products, with only a few minor exceptions —most of which still look and feel remarkably similar. 

    It feels like Apple is hesitant to innovate because their current products are still selling well. The problem is, they’ve become too comfortable. It seems like the company is filled with executives collecting six-figure salaries while Apple stagnates. The spark has gone out—Apple has become both lazy and overly concerned with being “woke.” Instead of giving us small, incremental updates, they should return to their roots and start truly innovating again. After ten years, you’d expect at least a visual refresh of iOS, much like we used to get with macOS upgrades back when Steve was at the helm. Those updates felt revolutionary, and unfortunately, that sense of excitement has disappeared.


     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 21
    philsphils Posts: 25member
    Zirlin said:
    Tesla just showcased a bunch of walking talking androids. Where's Apple? They have a bazillion dollars for research and development. Why aren't they at the forefront of robotics? I've been waiting years for the day Tim Apple says "Oh yeah, one more thing..." and the Siri android walks out and says "Hello!" to the world. All we seem to get (during those hyper-polished keynotes) are thinner software-gimped iPads, 1mm larger watches and imperceptibly different (and more expensive) yearly iPhones. If Steve were alive today, he'd not have 4-5 SKUs just for AirPods. I'm kinda shocked we don't have AirTag Pros in 5 different colors yet. I have been an Apple fan since the Apple II. I owned the first Mac. Apple has clearly lost it's ability to innovate and Tesla just fed them their lunch.
    lol that event was terrible. No details on the cars, all vaporware and hand waiving. Nobody has androids worth talking about - did you see how terrible they were in attendee vids posted to Twitter? Rock paper scissors was a challenge. Everybody has the same battery limitations. 

    Oh you knew Jobs well, did you! lol. No. Jobs cut the Mac line down because the company was failing financially and needed more wood, fewer arrows. Not the Apple of today, as market leader it’s more important to deal with “pricing umbrellas”, look it up. 

    Suckers fall for the Musk glitter but it’s still nonsense. 
    Oh, absolutely! They probably used to have weekly tea and chat about which product lines to axe next. Just because someone shares their opinion, there’s no need to resort to the “Oh, you knew Jobs personally?” comment. Please… 

    Yes Jobs did make tough decisions to keep the company afloat, but he also had a knack for reinventing things. The difference is, he didn’t just cut for the sake of cutting; he had a vision. Right now, it feels like Apple’s just… well, lost...

    Love him or hate him, Elon is undeniably a visionary. You might not like his approach or think it’s all “glitter”, smoke and mirrors, but the fact that he’s founded several successful multibillion-dollar companies—like SpaceX, Tesla, PayPal, and OpenAI—suggests he’s clearly onto something. 

    Rick601
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 21
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,142member
    gatorguy said:
    No way they’re doing serious research in the CCP’s China, home of corporate espionage and theft. 
    Apple has a research lab in Zurich. They have one in Israel. Both are way smaller than the two mainland-China R&D labs, but this newest facility will be dedicated to research in Apple's current products line (Vision Pro, iPhone, iPad), while the older one is being expanded for more materials research.
    Doesn’t change reality - there is no way they’d trust high-value research to a facility in a place they have no legal protection and cannot safeguard. It’s likely low value research and an appeasement strategy. 
    robin huberwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 21
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,142member
    avon b7 said:
    No way they’re doing serious research in the CCP’s China, home of corporate espionage and theft. 
    We know this centre is for applied research. Apple, AFAIK, isn't doing much fundamental research anywhere. 

    The centre is also on Huawei turf. They have another in San Diego on Qualcomm turf. 

    Perhaps hoping to pick up talent in those hubs. 

    Apple’s fundamental research certainly takes place, but not in a CCP-sanctioned den of thieves. They have enough legal trouble kicking the chinese thieves out of their US facilities. 

    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 21
    phils said:
    Zirlin said:
    Tesla just showcased a bunch of walking talking androids. Where's Apple? They have a bazillion dollars for research and development. Why aren't they at the forefront of robotics? I've been waiting years for the day Tim Apple says "Oh yeah, one more thing..." and the Siri android walks out and says "Hello!" to the world. All we seem to get (during those hyper-polished keynotes) are thinner software-gimped iPads, 1mm larger watches and imperceptibly different (and more expensive) yearly iPhones. If Steve were alive today, he'd not have 4-5 SKUs just for AirPods. I'm kinda shocked we don't have AirTag Pros in 5 different colors yet. I have been an Apple fan since the Apple II. I owned the first Mac. Apple has clearly lost it's ability to innovate and Tesla just fed them their lunch.
    lol that event was terrible. No details on the cars, all vaporware and hand waiving. Nobody has androids worth talking about - did you see how terrible they were in attendee vids posted to Twitter? Rock paper scissors was a challenge. Everybody has the same battery limitations. 

    Oh you knew Jobs well, did you! lol. No. Jobs cut the Mac line down because the company was failing financially and needed more wood, fewer arrows. Not the Apple of today, as market leader it’s more important to deal with “pricing umbrellas”, look it up. 

    Suckers fall for the Musk glitter but it’s still nonsense. 
    Oh, absolutely! They probably used to have weekly tea and chat about which product lines to axe next. Just because someone shares their opinion, there’s no need to resort to the “Oh, you knew Jobs personally?” comment. Please… 

    Yes Jobs did make tough decisions to keep the company afloat, but he also had a knack for reinventing things. The difference is, he didn’t just cut for the sake of cutting; he had a vision. Right now, it feels like Apple’s just… well, lost...

    Love him or hate him, Elon is undeniably a visionary. You might not like his approach or think it’s all “glitter”, smoke and mirrors, but the fact that he’s founded several successful multibillion-dollar companies—like SpaceX, Tesla, PayPal, and OpenAI—suggests he’s clearly onto something. 
    Nah nonsense on all fronts. Musk is a child of emerald mine wealth who failed upward, until finally his complete idiocy was apparent not just to his long-standing critics, but the world writ large. The man is an imbecile. 

    Being a “visionary” is rather effortless, we can all do it. Very easy. 

    Implementing ideas and bringing successful products to market is much, much harder, and Apple excels at this. 

    To believe Apple is lost because they don’t have a windbag spouting vaporware nonsense is absurd. They have a vision and they’re working toward it every single year. The products they put in my hands are hands down the best iterations of each category. And no, iteration isn’t a bad world - it’s how apple rolls. Always has. 
    Alex_Vwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 21
    phils said:
    Zirlin said:
    Tesla just showcased a bunch of walking talking androids. Where's Apple? They have a bazillion dollars for research and development. Why aren't they at the forefront of robotics? I've been waiting years for the day Tim Apple says "Oh yeah, one more thing..." and the Siri android walks out and says "Hello!" to the world. All we seem to get (during those hyper-polished keynotes) are thinner software-gimped iPads, 1mm larger watches and imperceptibly different (and more expensive) yearly iPhones. If Steve were alive today, he'd not have 4-5 SKUs just for AirPods. I'm kinda shocked we don't have AirTag Pros in 5 different colors yet. I have been an Apple fan since the Apple II. I owned the first Mac. Apple has clearly lost its ability to innovate and Tesla just fed them their lunch.
    Zirlin, 

    I share your sentiments. I’ve been an Apple customer for years—long before iPhones and iPods—and it’s disheartening to see how the company has drifted from its original path. There’s a certain arrogance in their presentations now, they feel impersonal, and no one there has the same charisma that Steve Jobs had. Since his passing, Apple has been recycling the same products, with only a few minor exceptions —most of which still look and feel remarkably similar. 

    It feels like Apple is hesitant to innovate because their current products are still selling well. The problem is, they’ve become too comfortable. It seems like the company is filled with executives collecting six-figure salaries while Apple stagnates. The spark has gone out—Apple has become both lazy and overly concerned with being “woke.” Instead of giving us small, incremental updates, they should return to their roots and start truly innovating again. After ten years, you’d expect at least a visual refresh of iOS, much like we used to get with macOS upgrades back when Steve was at the helm. Those updates felt revolutionary, and unfortunately, that sense of excitement has disappeared.

    Ohhhh I get it, you’re one of the “Woke mind virus!” guys. Please define “woke” for us. What is it?! Working to ensure minorities have equality to the longstanding majority is not a bad thing, and has been in Apple’s DNA since…Jobs himself, derrr. 

    As for incremental design - you really have no clue about Apple whatsoever, that’s how they’ve operated for decades. Gruber wrote about over a decade ago!

     https://daringfireball.net/2010/05/this_is_how_apple_rolls 

    ...iterative product development is the name of the game. It’s how we got from the original iPhone/Mac/Watch/whatever to the current versions, or iterations. They don't pop out of a clamshell, fully formed. They polish and improve and next thing you know, the current version is crazy good.

    The low hanging fruit has been claimed, so you won’t see huge gains as in the early days of the smart phone. This is not new, or unexpected. Your excitement has waned because the category had matured. You cannot find your life’s excitement from product announcements, you must find meaning elsewhere. 

    ps - six-figure salaries aren’t for executives. Every single one of my ICs earns a six-figure salary now.

    edited October 2024
    muthuk_vanalingamAlex_Vwatto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 21
    Is the expertise not available somewhere else??
    What is the reason Apple would create 1000 RESEARCH jobs in reach of the CCP?!

    I don’t understand. I am an investor in Apple.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 21
    philsphils Posts: 25member
    phils said:
    Zirlin said:
    Tesla just showcased a bunch of walking talking androids. Where's Apple? They have a bazillion dollars for research and development. Why aren't they at the forefront of robotics? I've been waiting years for the day Tim Apple says "Oh yeah, one more thing..." and the Siri android walks out and says "Hello!" to the world. All we seem to get (during those hyper-polished keynotes) are thinner software-gimped iPads, 1mm larger watches and imperceptibly different (and more expensive) yearly iPhones. If Steve were alive today, he'd not have 4-5 SKUs just for AirPods. I'm kinda shocked we don't have AirTag Pros in 5 different colors yet. I have been an Apple fan since the Apple II. I owned the first Mac. Apple has clearly lost it's ability to innovate and Tesla just fed them their lunch.
    lol that event was terrible. No details on the cars, all vaporware and hand waiving. Nobody has androids worth talking about - did you see how terrible they were in attendee vids posted to Twitter? Rock paper scissors was a challenge. Everybody has the same battery limitations. 

    Oh you knew Jobs well, did you! lol. No. Jobs cut the Mac line down because the company was failing financially and needed more wood, fewer arrows. Not the Apple of today, as market leader it’s more important to deal with “pricing umbrellas”, look it up. 

    Suckers fall for the Musk glitter but it’s still nonsense. 
    Oh, absolutely! They probably used to have weekly tea and chat about which product lines to axe next. Just because someone shares their opinion, there’s no need to resort to the “Oh, you knew Jobs personally?” comment. Please… 

    Yes Jobs did make tough decisions to keep the company afloat, but he also had a knack for reinventing things. The difference is, he didn’t just cut for the sake of cutting; he had a vision. Right now, it feels like Apple’s just… well, lost...

    Love him or hate him, Elon is undeniably a visionary. You might not like his approach or think it’s all “glitter”, smoke and mirrors, but the fact that he’s founded several successful multibillion-dollar companies—like SpaceX, Tesla, PayPal, and OpenAI—suggests he’s clearly onto something. 
    Nah nonsense on all fronts. Musk is a child of emerald mine wealth who failed upward, until finally his complete idiocy was apparent not just to his long-standing critics, but the world writ large. The man is an imbecile. 

    Being a “visionary” is rather effortless, we can all do it. Very easy. 

    Implementing ideas and bringing successful products to market is much, much harder, and Apple excels at this. 

    To believe Apple is lost because they don’t have a windbag spouting vaporware nonsense is absurd. They have a vision and they’re working toward it every single year. The products they put in my hands are hands down the best iterations of each category. And no, iteration isn’t a bad world - it’s how apple rolls. Always has. 

    I’m happy to disagree with your perspective. Your tone feels condescending, and there’s a certain “I know it all” attitude, so it seems like there’s not much point in having a meaningful discussion with you.

    The fact that he (Musk) comes from a well off family is irrelevant. You're free to think that Elon Musk is an "imbecile" but for a man that has created so many jobs - for example Tesla with 140,000+ employees and SpaceX with 13,000 -  it's hard to grasp the basis of your opinion...By your tone it might be envy...who knows... and who cares...  You don't have to like him but there is no denying that Musk has driven huge advances in space, electric cars and energy. Whether you like him or not, Tesla, SpaceX and other ventures have fundamentally altered industries. I'd say that for being such an "imbecile" he has done pretty good for himself and others... Now that I think about it, you’d probably say the same thing about Steve Jobs—except that he didn’t come from a wealthy family, which seems to be a “sin” in the eyes of some.

    Since being a visionary is apparently so easy and effortless, I’m sure you’ve done quite well for yourself, right?



    Rick601ctt_zh
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 18 of 21
    Pema said:
    Great. If the paranoid Western press are to be trusted every China anything is tied into the Chinese government: Temu, Shein, Ali Baba all the EV car manufacturers. All the products that are Chinese in origin, not built in China, are a conduit for the Chinese government. So, say you buy a Chinese EV. The car very likely has a bug planted behind the dash that transmits everything you say and do directly to the Chinese Politburo. 

    But now I read this. Apple is building the 2nd largest research lab in China. So has Apple become a Chinese stooge? I mean that's how a syllogism works. 


    You might want to define your p, q and r.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 21
    As an Apple investor I say thank god Apple is doing this. 

    That some are confused about Apples decision and I attribute ignorance to USA government propaganda like BilL HR 1157. 
    Bill HR 1157 adds $1.6 billion to the hundreds of millions already allocated to anti Chinese propaganda. 
    Stated aim of bill is to “subsidize state media and civil society sources to counter China”. 

    Anyhow truth is out there even if you just peek. 

    Example the conservative (no love of China) Australian think tank ASPI states in latest report China takes lead in 90% of 64 top technology categories. In 2007 USA led in 60 of the 64 categories. Now it’s drop to a tiny fraction. 

    On ASPI category cited: hypersonic detection: China has 73% research citations and USA 13%. Rest of world make up the rest. 

    China graduates many times more scientists and PhDs and engineers than anywhere else by a wide margin. 

    if you want more evidence look at electric cars worldwide. 
    Elon Musk has gone from laughing at Chinese EVs 10 years ago to saying ‘either have tariffs’ or die. 
    40% of Teslas battery components are Chinese. One of Tesla’s Chinese battery partners in research and manufacturing is CATL.

    Likewise do a real deep dive into solar panel technology. Note USA solar companies are still importing and using Chinese parts. Once assembled in USA they are stamped made in USA. 

    Shipbuilding Chinas shipbuilding industry is 232 times larger than USA. 

    USA astronauts stuck in space station. Chinese astronauts regularly go up down to their space station Tiangong which more advanced than the aging ISS. ( but like everything else you won’t hear this in the western press. Hey spending billions on anti Chinese propaganda works.. but it works to detriment of actual knowledge in which wise judgements are made)

    China trains go at 400 km USA at 70-90 km max. 

    Etc

    I own Apple shares and other American tech stocks but no Chinese. So I’m not cheering China trounces usa. I’m just pointing out reality and giving some insight to what Apple is doing. Just like  Western car companies cooperate make joint ventures with China like in battery tech or die. 




    muthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 21
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,870member
    gatorguy said:
    No way they’re doing serious research in the CCP’s China, home of corporate espionage and theft. 
    Apple has a research lab in Zurich. They have one in Israel. Both are way smaller than the two mainland-China R&D labs, but this newest facility will be dedicated to research in Apple's current products line (Vision Pro, iPhone, iPad), while the older one is being expanded for more materials research.
    Doesn’t change reality - there is no way they’d trust high-value research to a facility in a place they have no legal protection and cannot safeguard. It’s likely low value research and an appeasement strategy. 
    Based on personal experience some of these moves are driven by a desire to outsource higher level technical work, for example software development and testing. The differences in professional level wages between the US and China aren’t as favorable as they once were but they’re still pretty good. I remember a time when the difference was around 5:1 for software developers. There are probably some tax advantages as well. 

    One strategy used for outsourcing IT was to move continuation engineering for older and legacy products offshore to supposedly “free up” local resources for new critical R&D, product development and “higher end” work. Apple’s “Designed in California” narrative fits this strategy. 

    We’re at the point now where companies “forced” to exit from a particular location, perhaps by regulations or shareholders, aren’t going to bring the work/jobs back to the US. They’re just going to move the somewhere else like Poland, Columbia, Czech Republic, or anywhere else that has available and qualified workers  
    edited October 2024
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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