Who collects iPhones? Where are Apple iPhones made?

The first thing you need to know is that the iPhone is made in China, where labor is much cheaper than in the US. However, Chinese manufacturers were chosen by Apple not only because of the desire to reduce costs as much as possible. In China there is a well-functioning chain of work execution processes, and the manufacturing factories are located there. Agree, it is more convenient to have almost all the necessary elements of the future device within one country - they can be delivered to the factory for assembly in the shortest possible time. In the case of the iPhone 6, for example, only a few types of components will be brought from abroad to China, including protective sapphire crystals produced in the USA.

The iPhone and all other equipment are being designed Apple in the offices of Cupertino, California, USA. Here they develop and approve the design of devices, software features, and also manage issues of advertising, promotion and much more. Experts say that Chinese manufacturers, although they have the best potential in the world for assembling devices, but their work is estimated at only one hundredth of the total contribution to the creation of gadgets.

However, despite the secondary role assigned to China in the creation of the iPhone and other Apple devices, manufacturers are fiercely fighting for this right, not shying away from being at their beck and call. Contracts with Apple are concluded by manufacturers for very favorable conditions, and the number of devices produced exceeds all conceivable limits, so the struggle for a “place in the sun” only gets fiercer every year.

As for the factories themselves, you can take a closer look at one of the factories of Foxconn, Apple's main manufacturing partner. Take for example a factory in Sichuan province that was inspected by hundreds of journalists a couple of years ago. The factory area is 5.6 million (!) sq. m., its production capacity is about 400,000 iPhones per day. With all this, the plant fully complies with safety and environmental standards.

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Many people who are asked about where are iPhones made?, answer with confidence that the manufacturing country is the USA or some other countries developed in the production of electronics. Almost no one talks about China as a manufacturer of such high-quality devices. Everyone associates this country with low-quality products that are incomparable to Apple technology. But in vain, because China is the main manufacturer of equipment for all large companies, including Apple.

You may also be interested and useful in our article on how. Often many people don’t remember which version operating system on their iPhone and many applications may not work because of this.

In general, the creation of an iPhone can be divided into two stages:

1. Development.
2. Production.

The first stage is handled by one country, and the second by another.

Where are iPhones developed?

The starting point for the production of Apple devices is their development at the head office in Cupertino, located in California, as indicated by the corresponding inscription on the back of each iPhone. It is people from the USA who are working on the most important issues related to the production of new gadgets:

• Development of a new design;
• Development of appearance;
• Innovative ideas;
• Software;
• Internal filling;
• Software optimization.

The USA is the brain of the company. We can safely say that the bulk of Apple devices are produced in this country. Therefore, the statement that the manufacturer is the USA has strong roots.

For almost every buyer, the question of not only the development of smartphones is important, but also where the iPhone they carry is made. This is where disappointment awaits all fans of Apple technology, who claim that their gadgets are made in the USA or, for example, Finland. All iPhones are assembled in China.

Some unscrupulous sellers distribute counterfeit iPhones that indicate manufacturing countries other than China. Knowing where the original iPhones are made, the chance of running into a fake is sharply reduced. If you need to purchase an iPhone secondhand or in an untrustworthy store, then the country of origin is the first thing you should pay attention to.

Why did such a large company, with huge profits, choose China and not its “homeland” to produce its equipment? In fact, it's simple:

1. Labor in China is very cheap, and there is no shortage of workers.
   Huge demand requires intensive production, which is easiest to implement in China.
2. This allows you to keep the cost level at an acceptable level. If production is transferred to the USA, then costs will increase many times, and with them the cost of production.
3. Manufacturing in China is subject to very low taxes compared to most other countries.
4. China is the main producer of some metals used in the production of modern gadgets. Exports to other countries are limited, which would have disrupted iPhone production in other countries due to material shortages.

In fact, iPhone production in China is not as bad as it might seem. This approach from Apple has a lot of advantages, and the quality still remains high, which is very important.

Almost everyone dreams of purchasing an Apple gadget, but for some, the price becomes an insurmountable obstacle to their dream. Many users do not buy phones from official Apple dealers. This is primarily due to the fact that the price of such gadgets is much cheaper, and in addition, you can get the coveted iPhone much earlier than it appears in official stores.

But do not forget that when buying an iPhone through the Apple website or in the official store, you will definitely receive a PCT - a device that is specially adapted to work in your country. If you purchased the phone from a “gray” dealer, then you may encounter a number of problems.

Where to look for your iPhone model

To determine the country for which the iPhone was manufactured, we need it serial number. By recognizing it, we will find out where the device itself comes from.

You can do this directly in the store by looking at the information on the back of the iPhone box. Although we recommend checking the model number directly through the phone menu to rule out any discrepancy (such cases are not uncommon).

To do this, you need to turn on your iPhone, go to “Settings”, find the “General” section, and then go to the “About this device” item.

Once you have found the serial number you can go in two ways:

1. An easy way to determine the “homeland” of an Apple gadget is to use the website. You just need to enter the full model number of your phone and find out all the information you need about the origin of your phone and whether or not it is tied to a specific operator.
2. If it is not possible to check your phone number through the website, then you can find out the information you are interested in yourself. The model number of the device consists of four letters and three numbers, but in order to determine which country your iPhone came from, you only need the last two letters. For example, if the model number looks like this - MC354LL, then you need to pay attention to the letters LL.

Deciphering the iPhone model number

• A - Canada
• AB - UAE, Saudi Arabia
• AE - UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
• AH - Bahrain, Kuwait
• B - Great Britain or Ireland
• BZ - Brazil
• C - Canada
• CH - China
• CN - Slovakia
• CZ - Czech Republic
• D - Germany
• DN - Holland, Austria, Germany
• E - Mexico
• EE - Estonia
• ET - Estonia
• F - France
• FB - Luxembourg
• FS - Finland
• FD - Liechtenstein, Austria, or Switzerland
• GR - Greece
• HB - Israel
• HN - India
• IP - Italy
• J - Japan
• KH - China, South Korea
• KN - Denmark or Norway
• KS - Finland or Sweden
• LA - Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia, El Salvador
• LE - Argentina
• LL - USA
• LP - Poland
• LT - Lithuania
• LV - Latvia
• LZ - Paraguay, Chile
• MG - Hungary
• MY - Malaysia
• NF - Luxembourg, Belgium, France
• PK - Finland, Poland
• PL - Poland
• PM - Poland
• PO - Portugal
• PP - Philippines
• QL - Italy, Spain, Portugal
• QN - Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland
• RK - Kazakhstan
• RM - Russia or Kazakhstan
• RO - Romania
• RP - Russia
• RR - Russia
• RS - Russia
• RU - Russia
• SE - Serbia
• SL - Slovakia
• SO - South Africa
• SU - Ukraine
• T - Italy
• TA - Taiwan
• TU - Türkiye
• UA - Ukraine
• X - Australia
• X - New Zealand
• Y - Spain
• ZA - Singapore
• ZD - Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, France, Switzerland, Monaco
• ZP - Hong Kong, Macau

Checking iPhone on UnLock

In many countries, iPhones are sold specially locked for a specific telephone operator. In this case, the use of the device in other countries may be limited. It is possible to fix this problem and use a brand new phone, but one way or another, this requires additional time and money.

To make sure that your iPhone will function normally in your country, it is better to check when purchasing where your Apple gadget came from and whether it is locked to a specific operator.

Quite often, buyers, holding a box with a brand new iPhone in their hands, are perplexed why in the manufacturer’s information section on its packaging there is a strange double “origin” of the gadget, with the following wording:

“Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China."

This information is located on the back.

But you shouldn’t be scared - it’s not really a fake. This iPhone is the real thing, and is made in accordance with all the high requirements of the company. Following successful global practice, Apple moved its main production to China. This country is rich in diversified companies and produces the lion's share of the world's output in many industries.

At the same time, the entire design part of the iPhone development, design and innovation process is carried out in the States. Software for smartphones and some software from the company’s application store are also produced by the “American half”. The world's leading engineers, carefully selected by Apple, in the company of the best marketers, create the famous “magic” of the devices, and Chinese craftsmen bring it to life.

Why China?

And the issue is not only the cheapness of labor from China, although this is undoubtedly a significant reason for the transfer of iPhone assembly to Asian latitudes. The main advantage is the exceptional speed of adaptation and flexibility of production facilities located in the country. In the shortest possible time, huge sites, with already operating lines and a lot of personnel, can be repurposed, and almost immediately be ready to produce a new product needed by the customer. And at the lowest possible cost.

In addition, most suppliers of materials necessary for assembling smartphones are located nearby, and this is an additional significant plus - there is no need to spend money on transporting components and waste precious time. It is enough to place an order and receive the goods directly from the manufacturer, avoiding intermediaries and unnecessary overpayments.

In America, it will not be possible to launch production of this scale so quickly - because... It’s just that there isn’t such a huge population. And there is no appropriate infrastructure capable of providing production with everything necessary. Costing everything “from scratch” in the States is not profitable and takes a very long time. Since you need to collect a lot of permits, develop a project, find and select suitable personnel, providing them with the proper level, etc. And in Chinese factories, workers live in special dormitories - right on the territory of the enterprise, and are ready to start work at any moment, staunchly defending the grueling twelve-hour “watch”. American trade unions will definitely not miss such a schedule, and few Americans will agree to live and work in such conditions.

It is for the above reasons that the Yabloko group chose the Foxconn Tai Yuan corporation, which later became their permanent long-term partner. This giant is located in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, and is an entire factory town with its own specific infrastructure.

He assembles both the iPhone and other products from Cupertino (and, by the way, not only them).

The total area of ​​the Foxconn factory alone, located in Sichuan province, is an incredible 5.6 million square meters. The number of company employees has long exceeded one million. A staff of more than 200 thousand people produces exclusively iPhones.

You can estimate the scale for yourself, and this is only one of the assembly shops, but it seems simply endless.

It produces about 400 thousand units of iPhone 6 and almost 140 thousand units of iPhone 6 Plus every day. Record standards, unheard of in America - with its strict labor laws, high wages and expensive medical insurance. If iPhones were produced in the USA, they would cost much more, and would hardly be able to be listed in the conditions of fierce competition in this segment. Some analysts estimate that this would add up to $65 to the price tag of each iPhone. But for the end consumer, essentially, the country of origin is not so important; the main thing is excellent build quality, uninterrupted service and an attractive price for the gadget. And everyone is happy.

In addition, as Apple’s top managers themselves admit, American iPhones would be less “tenacious,” bearing in mind that such conscientious workers as in China still need to be found in the United States. Moreover, they are willing to work 12 hours for $17 a day, which is the average salary of ordinary workers at Foxconn.

Quality control

Apple strictly regulates and controls work in Chinese production facilities, as it is forced to always maintain its brand. There is always a slightly biased attitude towards her and greater demand. All her gadgets are checked by critics almost under a microscope. Therefore, the quality of all processes performed is paramount. The company always declares and is proud of its environmentally friendly products that are harmless to humans.

General Director - Tim Cook personally visits foreign production and communicates with staff.

This is understandable why, since iPhones turned out to be the company’s most commercially successful creation. And personal control over all stages of their production is by no means a whim, but an urgent necessity. This helps in identifying weaknesses and also stimulates the work of staff.

The company's policy is aimed at the highest percentage of consumer satisfaction, which it does not forget to mention in every promotional campaign dedicated to the release of the next hot new products. Global worldwide support for all gadgets, a huge store of adapted applications, well-trained service personnel - all this contributes to the unconditional trust of customers, and the obvious success of all subsequent creations of the company. It just so happens that each subsequent iPhone becomes more and more popular than its predecessors, and sales levels are growing incredibly. But in fact, this is a huge work of a large and united team of like-minded Apple people - both in the USA and in Asia.

Nowadays, it is not enough to create a good product; you need to be able to present it to the public in such a way as to convince the majority of potential customers of the need to purchase it. Therefore, the iPhone user interface and beautiful advertising image are traditionally developed by the head office in Cupertino, which knows a lot about successful promotion to the market. And the hardware is created quickly and inexpensively by Chinese workers. This is the modern formula for success.

Domestic users of Apple devices believe that their mobile phones come from the USA, Japan, Taiwan - anywhere, but not from China. Russians have long had an extremely negative image of Chinese production - as if they do everything “on the knees”, in conditions of terrible unsanitary conditions and prefer quantity to quality.

This is actually a misconception. In China, the situation is the same as in other countries (for example, in Russia): there are underground production facilities that assemble penny devices from low-grade components, and there are also official factories whose assembly lines produce first-class products.

Apple also produces the iPad in collaboration with China, but this is by no means a reason to hang offensive labels on Apple devices.

iPhones and iPads are developed at Apple's head office, which is located in the American state of California, in the city of Cupertino. This is confirmed by the inscription that is present on the rear edges of all Apple devices: “ Designed by Apple in California».

The following activities are performed at Apple headquarters:

Mobile market experts claim that 99% of the total contribution to the creation of Apple gadgets is made by the employees of the Cupertino office - despite the fact that many of these employees have never seen how the devices are assembled.

Where are iPhones assembled?

The plant of the Taiwanese company Foxconn is where iPhones are made for Russia and other countries. The Foxconn plant is located in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, near Hong Kong. He has been collaborating with Apple since 2007. Apple is not the only company that partners with Foxconn; a giant Chinese factory produces almost 40% (!) of the world's electronics.

The Foxconn factory area is 5.6 million square meters. km, number of employees – 1 million 250 thousand people. Every day, 400 thousand new iPhones roll off the Foxconn assembly line, each of which fully meets the high standards set by Apple.

Foxconn has been repeatedly accused of forcing its employees to work in truly slave-like conditions. Chinese workers allegedly spend 12-14 hours at work, 6 days a week, eat rations of food sold on the streets, and are also discriminated against by their Taiwanese colleagues. Apple conducted many audits, which resulted in the discovery that most of the accusations of violation of labor laws are unfounded.

Buyers often wonder: why doesn’t the Apple company produce gadgets in its own country? There are many reasons for this:

• Americans are too highly educated. In the United States, there is a shortage of citizens with secondary technical education who are able and willing to perform routine, monotonous operations every day.
• Chinese labor is quite cheap. The salary of a Foxconn employee is 300 – 400 dollars per month. An American would have to pay four or five times more.
• The USA has high taxes. If iPhones were assembled in America, then due to additional insurance and taxes, the final cost of the Apple product would be doubled.
• China produces the lion's share of rare earth metals, which are necessary when creating mobile gadgets. If Apple were to move its smartphone production to another country, it would have to negotiate exports with China—not an easy task.

Foxconn has factories not only in China, but also in other countries - in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and India. In 2010, the factory was opened in Russia - in the village of Shushary, Leningrad Region. Now there is information that . Who knows - perhaps this is the first step towards starting the production of native American iPhones?

Who supplies components for iPhones?

Workers at the Foxconn plant assemble iPhones from components that are sourced from many countries. There are no Chinese components in Apple devices, but there are American ones. Among them:

• Audio chips are manufactured in the USA by Cirrus Logic.
• Radio modules are produced by the famous company Qualcomm.
• Controller chips are created by American organizations PMC Sierra and Broadcom Corp.
• Controllers touch screen– also manufactured by Broadcom Corp.

Other components are supplied by European and Asian manufacturers - for example:

• Induction coils - Japanese company TDK.
• RAM- Taiwanese organization TSMC.
• Gyroscopes - Italian-French company STMicroelectronics.

The situation with iPhone displays is interesting. Now 3 companies produce this component for the Apple company - Japanese Japan Display and, as well as Korean Display. However, for the iPhone 8th and 9th modifications - and in huge quantities.

Among the suppliers of components for the iPhone there is a “full” international. Apple prefers to work with trusted and reputable component manufacturers, no matter in which countries their factories are located.

What is the cost of an iPhone?

Experts published by IHS Markit immediately after iPhone release 7 in 2016, they tried to calculate the cost of an Apple device by adding together the costs of all its components, including:

• A10 Fusion processor – $26.9.
• Intel module – $33.9.
• Cameras – $19.9.
• Electromechanical components – $16.7.

According to expert calculations, the cost of the iPhone 7 turned out to be equal to 220 dollars (approximately 13 thousand rubles). The market value of the Apple gadget at the time of inspection was $649 - 37 thousand rubles at the current exchange rate. It is worth saying that this price was relevant for the USA. In Russia, the seventh iPhone even now costs 50 thousand rubles. It’s easy to calculate that in our country, the rate of promotion on Apple devices is almost fourfold.

It is curious that the difference in cost between iPhones of different generations is very small. Let's look at the diagram:

The cost of the iPhone 7 is only $8 higher than that of the iPhone 6S – in fact, 500 rubles. Gadgets of the same generation, but of different modifications (for example, 5 and 5S), as a rule, require equal costs for components. But what surprised me most was something else: the iPhone SE turned out to be the most economical smartphone in the Apple line (cost price: $160). Even the iPhone 3GS was more expensive to produce.

Conclusion

In 2016, Donald Trump, entering the presidential race, announced that he would force Apple to produce iPhones in the United States. If this day comes, then for Russian fans of Apple products it will definitely become “black” - the final cost of an iPhone created by American workers on American soil will be “unaffordable” for Russians.

Now Russian users can afford to buy Apple products only because they are assembled in China. By collaborating with the Chinese, Apple saves on labor resources. A worker from a developed country in America or Europe would not agree to work for an amount three times greater than what a native from the Middle Kingdom receives.