Jeffrey Brian Straubel, ex-CTO and founder of Tesla, has just been interviewed as part of the podcastThis Week in Startupshosted by Jason Calacanis. In particular, there was discussion of battery recycling and waste management, two crucial subjects for most car manufacturers today. But it was towards the end of the show that the anecdote that interests us was mentioned.
So, when Calacanis asks his guest if iPhones could be made in the United States, his answer is in the affirmative: “absolutely“. For the developer, the problem would not come from Apple directly but rather from the government itself. This would in fact not have provided the aid and ambitions necessary for the development of subcontractors in the region, leaving China free to occupy first place on the industrial podium at the global level.
To watch the full exchange, do not hesitate to play the video below (in English only, without French subtitles):
Costs, of course
What Straubel seems to forget, however, is that labor is in fact much more expensive at Uncle Sam's. So, if despitesome bonusessalaries at Foxconn rarely exceed four hundred euros per month, the United States prohibits companies from paying their employees less than a thousand euros per month (approximately). So for the assembly line alone, Apple potentially gains 50% on its expenses. The precise price of his bill obviously remains unknown, but it would not be surprising to see Hon Hai take advantage ofsignificant margins as is usual for its main client.
There is also expertise: although there is no doubt that the brains are available in America, Chinese logistics are often more efficient and the premises of each supplier geographically closer. Difficult, with such disparities, to bet on a country whichon the contrary, has been blocking imports from its rival since the last century.
How much does an iPhone cost?
According toTechInsights, an iPhone 13 Pro would cost Apple 570 euros. This figure takes into account not only the price of each component separately, but also that of the workers who are responsible for connecting them to give the result we know.
Sold for 1,159 euros in France, these mobiles therefore bring in - in theory - almost 600 euros in Cupertino. Hence its record profits, which still rank it to this day as one of the most profitable companies on the planet. With, as we recall, the highest market capitalization.
