By far, the most popular phone brand in the world is Apple. In 2024 alone, 70 million smartphones were sold. Aside from phones, Apple also produces smart watches, headphones, laptops and computers, and more.
Founded by the infamous Steve Jobs and comrades in 1976 in his family’s home, it’s the ultimate American Dream story. What began in a garage grew enormously to a mega-successful company. And even “mega-successful” might be an understatement.
Apple makes over $380 billion a year, employs over 160,000 people worldwide, and operates over 530 Apple Stores worldwide. Its headquarters is located in Cupertino, California, and as you probably already know, the business continues to grow.
You can find iPhones all over the world, most concentrated in the US, China, and Japan. But where do they get their start? We know that 70 million smartphones ship out every year. Let’s find out where they’re coming from.
Verdict: Are Apple Products Made in the USA?
No, Apple products are not made in the USA. Their products are made worldwide, mostly in China.
Here is a label on an iPhone, clearly stating it is made in China:
After moving out of the garage following their founding, the majority of Apple computers were built in the US at several manufacturing sites. Facilities were opened, expanded, shifted, closed, and all sorts of other maneuverings took place until American production ended in 2004.
Here’s a snippet from the Wall Street Journal’s piece on the history of Apple’s manufacturing in the US:
Apple isn’t shy about its Chinese production. In fact, there are plenty of YouTube tours showing behind-the-scenes processes at Apple factories. The WSJ quote above states the main company behind the builds: Foxconn. This Taiwan-based manufacturer is the motor behind what may be a big move out of China for Apple’s business.
In 2022, Apple announced that it might attempt to move the bulk of its production out of China. Having experienced issues with production and shipping in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the brand saw the importance of not putting all its eggs into one basket. But the other baskets on the table? They’re still located in Southeast Asia.
This move would shift the majority of production to other countries like India or Vietnam, not America. It’s a tricky feat, as Apple has relied heavily on Chinese production for over 20 years.
Despite the vast majority of Apple manufacturing taking place overseas, there may be a glint of red, white, and blue hope. In 2019, Apple stated that their new MacBook Pro would be built in Texas.
Buuuut, don’t get too excited. This MacBook Pro may be built in the US with some level of US-sourced components, but it does contain materials from overseas. And in actuality, the sticker on the back of that computer can’t even read “Made in the USA” due to labeling rules. It’s stamped “Product of Thailand. Final assembly in the USA.”
Credit where credit is due. Like in middle school, you’ve got to give kudos to the kid who did most of the work.
Will we ever see a fully US-manufactured Mac or iPhone? It’s not likely. And if it ever did happen, that price tag would likely be significantly higher than it is now.
Popular American Made Apple Products
- No fully US-manufactured products
Popular Apple Products Not Made in the USA
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iWatch Series 10
- AirPods 4
