During his
testimony before the Senate on Apple's tax strategies, CEO Tim Cook restated an earlier promise that a
forthcoming Mac model -- not identified -- was going to be built in the United States, and further revealed that it would be assembled in Texas. While the exact site wasn't specified, Apple has established and is expanding an
administrative campus in Austin, and manufacturing partner Foxconn has facilities
in Houston.
In fact, Apple has already brought
some manufacturing back to the US prior to the new Mac announcement. Certain iMac models,
AppleInsider reports, are built in California and Tennessee using Quanta as a final assembly partner; however, Quanta only does
final assembly on the iMac. In addition to the iMac,
some components of the company's iOS devices are made in the US, such as the Gorilla Glass used in iPhones and iPads, along with the A5 and other Apple processors, which are manufactured in Austin.
Components for the unnamed Mac model to be made in the US will also be sourced in the US when possible. Apple said in a statement that parts will come from Arizona, Texas, Illinois, Florida and Kentucky. The company has also been rumored to be looking at
further expansions of manufacturing facilities in the US alongside partners like Foxconn.
The Austin campus is being expanded to become an "Americas Operation Center," handling operations and logistics for North, Central and South American Apple partners. The campus will also house an R&D facility where much of the work on Apple's A-class processors is and will continue to be done.
Speculation has put forth the idea that the US-built Mac will be either a revamp or entirely new model of Mac, perhaps the long-awaited new
Mac Pro, which Cook promised last year would be unveiled sometime this year. It's also possible that the company will simply shift current Foxconn production on a particular line of Macs from China to Foxconn facilities in Houston or elsewhere in the state.
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