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Updated July 2nd, 2019 at 14:39 IST

Apple plans to assemble new Mac Pro computer in China, not US: Reports

According to reports, Apple will manufacture its new Mac Pro computer in China. If reports are anything to go by, Apple could be shifting away from a U.S. assembly line it had been using for that product in recent years

Reported by: Tech Desk
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According to reports, Apple will manufacture its new Mac Pro computer in China. If reports are anything to go by, Apple could be shifting away from a U.S. assembly line it had been using for that product in recent years. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple intends to assemble the new Mac Pro in a factory near Shanghai. The report also cited unidentified people familiar with Apple's plan to move its Mac Pro assembly line from the U.S to China.

In a statement issued by Apple, the company said that the new Mac Pro will be designed and engineered in California. However, Apple did not reveal much as to where it will be assembled.

“We’re proud to support manufacturing facilities in 30 U.S. states and last year we spent $60 billion with over 9,000 suppliers across the U.S.,” Apple said in its statement.

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However, Apple is likely to face challenges moving Mac Pro assembly to China as Apple explores ways to avoid potential tariffs that the Trump administration may impose on the iPhone and other Apple devices already being made in China.

Apple Mac Pro that costs $6,000 (Rs 4 lakh 14 thousand approximately) is no way designed for the mass market, unlike most other Apple products. The Mac Pro is a high-end desktop computer designed for individuals and businesses with specialised requirements.

Since 2013, Apple has been assembling Mac Pros in Austin, Texas as part of a $100 million commitment that Apple CEO Tim Cook proclaimed in a television interview. Run by Flex Ltd, Apple's Austin factory encountered problems finding enough skilled labour willing to work for minimum wage, according to the report. As Mac Pro sales floundered, Flex began laying off workers in Austin.

READ | Apple iPhone Shipments Down By 20% In Q1 2019, You Will Be Surprised By The Reason Estimated 

Apple spends $1 billion on a corporate campus in Austin in an expansion that is supposed to create at least 5,000 jobs. At the same time, Apple is pushing for ways to protect its product line from the trade war the Trump administration is waging with China.

Apple recently issued a warning to administration that the U.S. economy and its ability to compete would be undermined if the iPhone and other products made in China are hit by the next round of potential tariffs. Meanwhile, Apple may also be trying to figure out if it can move a significant portion of the manufacturing now being done in China to other countries in Asia.

(With inputs from AP)

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Published July 2nd, 2019 at 14:39 IST

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