In a first-ever move, Apple is shifting some of its iPad production out of China to Vietnam, Nikkei Asia reported.
According to the report, China-based manufacturer BYD – one of Apple’s top iPad assemblers – has built production lines in Vietnam and will soon produce small quantities of the device in the country.
The development comes amid supply chain disruptions due to the strict Covid-19 lockdowns enforced in Shanghai and surrounding areas, where half of Apple’s 200 main suppliers are located.
In January 2021, Nikkei reported that Apple had long considered ramping up iPad production outside of China, but a sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 infections in Vietnam a few months later postponed the plan.
Apple shipped 57.8 million iPads worldwide in 2021, all of which were manufactured in China. The tablet line will become the tech giant’s second offering to be produced in Southeast Asia after the AirPods.
In addition to moving iPad production to Vietnam, Apple is also taking measures to secure the supply of the rest of its product lines. The report said that Apple has asked suppliers who have not been affected by the lockdown to stock up on components.
See also: 50 rising startups in Vietnam
Editing by Miguel Cordon and Lorenzo Kyle Subido
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