Both Apple’s Tim Cook and ex-Microsoft CEO Bill Gates called incoming U.S. President Donald Trump following his surprise leadership win, according to the man himself, reports Maggie Haberman of The New York Times. Whilst no word has been given as to the content of those conversations, it is believed that discussion did turn to technology matters that are related to the interests of both parties.
It doesn’t take an Apple Genius to figure out what Tim Cook would have been keen to discuss though, after Trump made various remarks throughout his campaign relating to Apple and its use of overseas manufacturing for the iPhone and indeed the rest of its lineup.
Right now, the only thing built by Apple within the United States is the Mac Pro, and as we all know, that particular computer is very much due a refresh. Suspicion has long been that a new Mac Pro is on its way, and although the consensus nowadays is that the Mac Pro is dead and buried, it is still at least being constructed within the States. So there’s that.
Trump had previously suggested that he would force Apple to bring its production onshore, something which we don’t imagine is enforceable. Regardless, Tump very much has a bee in his bonnet about bringing manufacturing back to the United States, and Apple is a prime target in that regard.
We can only assume CEO Tim Cook was eager to set his stall out early to ensure Trump knows where Apple, and he himself, sees the manufacturing of iPhones, iPads and Macs to lie for the near and long-term future.
We strongly expect that the answer to that is Foxconn and Pegatron, which already make Apple’s hardware offshore, though a recent report suggests the three have been in talks to move some production to the States. Whether Donald Trump will try to stick to his guns and follow through on his bluster remains to be seen. If he does, then we think Apple may be the least of our worries!
There is bound to be some heat between the company and the President-elect, given the latter called for a boycott of the company’s products in the wake of its stance on digital privacy during the San Bernardino investigation while Apple refused to provide financial support to the GOP convention given the then presidential nominee’s controversial remarks.
(Source: Maggie Haberman [Twitter])
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