How Much Would the iPad 2 Cost If It Were Made in the U.S.? About $1,140

[Homeslice]

For one thing, I doubt if any batteries are made in the US anymore........Wouldn't want them anyway, too many toxic heavy metals. Let other countries pollute their land and poison their population.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

For one thing, I doubt if any batteries are made in the US anymore........Wouldn't want them anyway, too many toxic heavy metals. Let other countries pollute their land and poison their population.

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8...ed=0CBoQnwIwAA

[Apoc]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

For one thing, I doubt if any batteries are made in the US anymore........Wouldn't want them anyway, too many toxic heavy metals. Let other countries pollute their land and poison their population.

You really are clueless, arent you?

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by Apoc

You really are clueless, arent you?

Cuz I didn't know whether any batteries were made in the US? Yeah, like the average person is up on that kind of trivia.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by pauldun170

Research firm iSuppli estimates the iPad 2 costs $10 to manufacture, which - using the $1.11/hour rate - works out to about 9 hours each to complete. If assembly and manufacture took the same amount of time in the U.S. as it does in China (another possibly unrealistic assumption), the cost of making each iPad 2 comes out to $292.77!

I think there are a few issues . Because of very high turnover rates for workers in China most workers are the definition of unskilled. Those workers also require pretty much constant supervision. If it is taking Chinese workers 9 hours then American workers should be able to do it significantly faster. An American workforce should also be more consistent in the long run resulting in less defects.

That turnover creates other issues too because it tends to be unpredictable. Everybody leaves for almost a month for Chinese New Year (creating its own issue because all the factories are shut down including suppliers) and you never know who is coming back. I've heard on bad years it can be as much as 30-35% of a factories workforce just never returns. Now that factory has to desperately hire a ton of new people at the same time every other factory in the area tries to do the same.

Everything I have heard, though anecdotally so take it for what that is worth, is that operating in China is a major pain in the ass with costs significantly higher than anticipated. I have also heard from most that there are significant regrets about moving production and if the costs weren't so high to relocate back they would be doing it. It wouldn't surprise me if Apple had similar regrets with the bad press they have been getting, especially since Apple is based on image more than most.

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Cuz I didn't know whether any batteries were made in the US? Yeah, like the average person is up on that kind of trivia.

It may also be because the batteries used in modern electronics don't "pollute the land and poison the population" of the countries in which they are made. They have lithium-ion batteries and because of the form the lithium is in most constructions have nowhere near the environmental issues associated with older battery technologies like lead-acid and nickel-cadmium.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by goof2

I think there are a few issues . Because of very high turnover rates for workers in China most workers are the definition of unskilled. Those workers also require pretty much constant supervision. If it is taking Chinese workers 9 hours then American workers should be able to do it significantly faster. An American workforce should also be more consistent in the long run resulting in less defects.

That turnover creates other issues too because it tends to be unpredictable. Everybody leaves for almost a month for Chinese New Year (creating its own issue because all the factories are shut down including suppliers) and you never know who is coming back. I've heard on bad years it can be as much as 30-35% of a factories workforce just never returns. Now that factory has to desperately hire a ton of new people at the same time every other factory in the area tries to do the same.

Everything I have heard, though anecdotally so take it for what that is worth, is that operating in China is a major pain in the ass with costs significantly higher than anticipated. I have also heard from most that there are significant regrets about moving production and if the costs weren't so high to relocate back they would be doing it. It wouldn't surprise me if Apple had similar regrets with the bad press they have been getting, especially since Apple is based on image more than most.



It may also be because the batteries used in modern electronics don't "pollute the land and poison the population" of the countries in which they are made. They have lithium-ion batteries and because of the form the lithium is in most constructions have nowhere near the environmental issues associated with older battery technologies like lead-acid and nickel-cadmium.

But these will probably be american union workers so will it realy get done faster

[Apoc]

Originally Posted by tommymac

But these will probably be american union workers so will it realy get done faster

Yes, god forbid a group of workers want to do their job safely and correctly, so they can go home uninjured at night, as opposed to having their bodies thrown in a vat of battery acid when they get hurt, only to be replaced by another underpaid worker while their own family starves.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by Apoc

Yes, god forbid a group of workers want to do their job safely and correctly, so they can go home uninjured at night, as opposed to having their bodies thrown in a vat of battery acid when they get hurt, only to be replaced by another underpaid worker while their own family starves.

You need to come down here my friend, our safety dept, at the 2 jobsites I work at, actualy has more headaches from the unions than from management.

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

For one thing, I doubt if any batteries are made in the US anymore........Wouldn't want them anyway, too many toxic heavy metals. Let other countries pollute their land and poison their population.

wut