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Apple wants to produce iPhones in the US. Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce under the Trump administration, said this in an interview on CNBC. He recounted a conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook about relocating iPhone production. According to Lutnick, Apple is currently still dependent on robotic arms to implement this step.
The question of whether Apple could also build its iPhones in the US has been discussed for some time. Now, a Trump administration official has spoken publicly about it. The discussion centers on a conversation with Tim Cook, which discussed the conditions for relocating iPhone production. At the same time, Apple has pledged a major investment in the US economy. In the interview, Lutnick clearly outlines the crucial conditions for Apple.
Apple plans to invest $500 billion in the US
Apple has already committed $500 billion to invest in the US site. This includes, among other things, AI servers and the construction of a new factory in Texas. In the interview, Lutnick refers to this commitment when asked when Apple will bring iPhone production to the US.
Lutnick: Apple needs robot arms for iPhone production in the USA
According to Lutnick, he spoke with Tim Cook about iPhone production. When asked when Apple would not only design but also assemble the iPhone in California, Cook replied that he needed robotic arms. These were necessary to carry out production with the required scale and precision. Lutnick said:
I need to have the robot arms to do this at a scale and with the precision that I can bring here.
Work in US factories should be technically oriented
Lutnick says the jobs in the planned US factories will have nothing to do with the traditional assembly of devices. American workers, he says, will be technicians. At the same time, Lutnick explained that the use of foreign workers poses the greatest risk for Apple.
Statements based on Lutnick's recounting of a conversation with Cook
Lutnick emphasizes that he is reporting what he believes he heard from Tim Cook. These are not official statements from Apple. Lutnick adds that his statements in the interview could possibly be taken out of context (via X).
Tariffs on Chinese imports increase the pressure
At the beginning of the month, the Trump administration announced tariffs of 145 percent on imports from China. Apple has so far secured exemptions. This trade policy measure provides the political backdrop for the discussion about a possible relocation of production to the United States.
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Tim Cook, according to Lutnick: No US iPhones without robots
Cupertino plans to invest $500 billion in the US. According to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is close to Trump, iPhone production will also be relocated to the US as soon as the necessary robotics technology is available. Lutnick is referring to a personal conversation with Tim Cook. These statements do not come officially from Apple. Currently, Lutnick says the availability of automated production is at the heart of the decision. He also points to risks associated with the use of foreign workers and the technological orientation of future US production sites. (Image: Shutterstock / Shutterstock AI)
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