Apple Expands MacBooks Production To Thailand, Avoids Dependence On China

Apple will assemble the MacBook in Thailand. (photo: dock. pexels)

JAKARTA - Apple Inc is in talks with suppliers to produce MacBooks in Thailand. This was done as part of the company's efforts to expand manufacturing presence outside China. The report first emerged from Nikkei on Thursday, April 13.

Suppliers involved in the talks already have a manufacturing complex in Thailand for other clients and are discussing possible assembly and production of components and modules for MacBooks, sources from three suppliers involved in talks with Apple told Nikkei.

According to the report, Apple has also been producing its Apple Watch in Thailand for more than a year. Meanwhile, Apple has not immediately responded to a request for comment from Reuters.

At least 18 suppliers, including Compal Electronics Inc, Sony Group Corp, and Western Digital Corp, have operations in Thailand, according to Apple's latest supplier list.

Apple and its key suppliers have moved production from China, where strict COVID-19-related restrictions disrupted Foxconn's largest iPhone factory last year.

Apple is also trying to avoid the impact on its business due to tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Separately, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday that the company has tripled its iPhone production, by assembling smartphones worth more than $7 billion in the country in the last fiscal year.

"There is a significant increase in Apple's production in India as the company attracts more new subscribers in the Asian country and moves production from China," said TechInsights industry analyst Abhilash Kumar.

Foxconn said last month that it plans to increase investment outside China. Pegatron Corp, another Apple supplier, is in talks to open a second factory in India, Reuters reported last month.