Apple’s MacBooks will be manufactured in Vietnam next year, the latest of several Apple products to be shifted to the country.
According to Nikkei Asia, Apple has selected its main supplier, Taiwan’s Foxconn, to begin manufacturing the laptops in Vietnam as early as May.
“After the MacBook production shifts, all of Apple’s flagship products basically will have one more production location beyond China … iPhones in India and MacBooks, the Apple Watch and iPads in Vietnam,” one person with knowledge of the matter told Nikkei.
Apple produces between 20 million and 24 million MacBooks per year, with production currently split between sites in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and Shanghai.
The decision to establish a presence in Vietnam comes as the company seeks to protect itself from disruptions caused by Covid-19 and geopolitical tensions.
Foxconn leased over 50 hectares of land in Bac Giang Province in August with plans to build a USD 300-million factory there, employing 30,000 workers.
Vietnam will make 65% of Apple wireless AirPods by 2025 as the US tech giant continues to shift its production away from China, JP Morgan analysts have forecast.
The country would also reportedly account for 20% of iPad and Apple Watch output and 5% of MacBook production.
Vietnam has been one of the fastest-growing markets for Apple products this year, with especially high demand for iPhones.
