It sounds patriotic: build iPhones in America. But the truth? It’s nearly impossible — and not just because of labor costs or a lack of screwdrivers.
Apple has spent decades fine-tuning a hyper-efficient supply chain across Asia. This system isn’t just about factories — it’s a tightly woven web of suppliers, engineers, and logistics that can’t simply be transplanted to Texas.
Remember Motorola’s failed 2013 experiment with a Texas plant? High costs, slow output, and weak demand shut it down within a year. It quietly vanished — and served as a warning.
Today, fewer than 5% of iPhone parts are made in the U.S. Maybe the glass comes from Kentucky — but the touchscreen layers are Korean, and chips are made by TSMC in Taiwan (with only a tiny Arizona facility starting to test production). Final assembly? Still 85% happens in China.
Each iPhone is a marvel of coordination: 2,700 parts, 187 suppliers, 28 countries. In China, many of these partners are neighbors — cutting costs and boosting speed. It’s why Apple stays competitive.
Yes, Apple is branching out. India now assembles 16% of iPhones globally and aims for 20%. With cheap labor, government support, and a growing local market, India is a smart move. But the core components? Still mostly made in China, Korea, and Taiwan.
The iPhone isn’t made in one place. It’s a global product — with an Asian heart. And it’s not coming back across the ocean anytime soon.
Will tech giants ever truly bring critical manufacturing home — or is globalization baked into every chip and circuit?
