Apple Vision Pro M5 Production Moves To Vietnam Amid Global Supply Chain Shift

Apple has officially moved Apple's Vision Pro M5 headset production line to Vietnam (photo: x @OscarFalmer)

JAKARTA - Apple has officially moved Apple's headset production line Vision Pro M5 to Vietnam, marking the company's latest move in its efforts to reduce its dependence on China amid trade tensions and global supply chain risks.

This latest Vision Pro model, scheduled to be delivered to customers on Wednesday, September 22, brought a slight change from the previous generation in addition to chip upgrades from M2 to M5. However, the shift in production locations is in the main spotlight in Apple's manufacturing strategy.

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple Vision Pro is the lowest production volume product among other Apple devices. This makes it the ideal candidate for testing in the manufacturing relocation process. Based on information on product packaging, the latest version of the headset is now assembled in Vietnam.

This move is not without reason. Since the first administration of President Donald Trump, American companies, including Apple, have been encouraged to reduce production in China to avoid import rates by 25%. Although Apple CEO Tim Cook managed to avoid the impact of tariffs at the time, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 again showed how fragile Apple's dependence on factories in China is.

When Trump returned to office in 2024 and began to revive the tariff policy, Apple was again faced with a classic dilemma: maintaining production efficiency in China, or looking for a new base to avoid political and economic risks.

However, diversifying supply chains is not a fast or inexpensive process. Apple needs to be careful not to 'burn the bridge' with old partners in China. Therefore, the company is taking a gradual approach 'forwarding a small part of production to other countries while maintaining existing trade relations.

Even so, the impact of these small steps is significant. In the last five years, Apple's diversification strategy in India has created more than 350.000 new jobs.

Vietnam is the next logical choice. The country has been an assembly site for Apple devices such as the AirPods and the iPad, and is now expanding its role in producing Vision Pro. According to an internal report, Apple is also planning to launch a new product called Home Hub in early 2026 which is likely to also be assembled in Vietnam.

This shift confirms Apple's long-term strategy: maintaining the smooth running of global supply chains without compromising geopolitical stability or business relations that have been built for decades.