Apple Considering Production In Indonesia

Tech giant Apple Inc. is considering the possibility of manufacturing its devices Indonesia, reports said citing Chief Executive Tim Cook.

During a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta on Wednesday, Cook said the iPhone maker will look into the feasibility of local manufacturing. Both of them discussed possible investment in the country, among other matters.

Cook told reporters in Jakarta after the meeting, “We talked about the president’s desire to see manufacturing in the country, and it’s something that we will look at… The investment ability in Indonesia is endless.”

During Cook’s visit, Apple also opened its fourth Apple Developer Academy in the country, in Bali, as part of an effort to increase opportunities for developers, students, and entrepreneurs looking to focus on careers in the region’s growing iOS app economy.

The news comes after a similar proposal was made in Vietnam during Cook’s touring in the neighboring country. Vietnam is already producing select Apple devices including AirPods.

Apple, which produces majority of its devices in China, for long has been looking into diversify its production bases elsewhere, mainly in Asian countries, with a view to minimizing the impact of ongoing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China.

Apple has already increased its production in countries such as India and Vietnam. According to a Bloomberg report last week, Apple has produced iPhones worth $14 billion in India during the last fiscal year.

Apple now produces around 14 percent of its iPhones in India, doubling the amount from the previous year. Pegatron manufactured around 17 percent, while Foxconn contributed about 67 percent, with Wistron producing the remainder.