Foxconn isn't going to hand Apple a permanent monopoly over efficient processes to the detriment of their domestic buddies. That's not how China works.
Every day that goes by, Apple's lead will erode in both quality of product and manufacturing advantage. It's not due to anything Apple will do wrong, it's due to how markets work, particularly in technology.
Actually, the manufacturing process is nothing that's unique to Apple or China. Apple is assembling iPhones in Brazil at the moment in addition to China. And as long as they don't stop innovating in their production processes (like the injection molding innovations of the iPod and the unibody innovations of the MacBooks and iPads) their lead is not going to erode there.
However, Apples biggest advantage is the enormous cash reserve they have, which enables them to get extremely good deals on essential parts such as flash memory and displays. This has nothing to do with where the devices are manufactured. Even when selling plastic tablets, other companies have a hard time matching the price of iPads (and now MacBook Airs).
Foxconn is Taiwanese, if you think they care about their 'domestic buddies' you'll be sorely mistaken. Even if it were mainland Chinese they'd not give a damn about China's domestic industry over making stupendous amounts of money from Apple.
Who owns Taiwan's future? Which huge country doesn't regard Taiwan as being separate?
You don't have to like it, but the answer is: the same country that now owns Hong Kong.
Foxconn is a Chinese company. It's why they're given special privileges that no foreign company can ever get, when it comes to everything from trade protections to labor regulations.
That's a pretty bold assumption. Maybe you have already read the political landscape of 10 years in the future, but to say that China already 'owns' Taiwan, especially comparing it to Hong Kong, which is only superficially similar, takes some big cojones. Like, Unbelievably big. I wouldn't make such bold statements without backing them with real facts, because at face value they seem a bit ridiculous.
Absurd. This has nothing to do with what I like or not. The facts are that Taiwan is not Hong Kong, Taiwan is a separate country who's future may or may not involve becoming part of China and that Foxconn is a Taiwanese and not Chinese company.
You mean China's manufacturing processes. Foxconn isn't going to hand Apple a permanent monopoly over efficient processes to the detriment of their domestic buddies. That's not how China works.
For one, Foxconn is Taiwanese, not Chinese, it's just that it has factories in China.
Second, money is how China works. Where does the delusion comes that China will ...sabotage Apple in chinese factories in order for Chinese device makers to win?
As a matter of fact, China is opening to be Apple's largest market, with raving reception this past year.
Yes I'm well aware of the constantly reiterated technicality that Foxconn is a Taiwanese company.
They're a Chinese company. Period. If China believed differently, they wouldn't be allowed to do what they do in domestic China.
China is nationalistic first, concerned with money second. That has always been the case and will always be the case. There's no amount of money that can buy you a lot of segments in their country; there are countless monster companies locked out of China right now, who would willingly pay countless billions just to get proper access to their markets - China promotes their domestic giants first, always.
Yes I'm well aware of the constantly reiterated technicality that Foxconn is a Taiwanese company. They're a Chinese company. Period.
Sure, after being called on it, you are suddenly "well aware".
Anyway, it's not a technicality by any stretch of the word --it's where the company was founded and where its headquarters are. A different country. Not to mention that they also have factories in 6-7 other countries besides China.
(Plus, it's not like China and Taiwan are in best terms, anyway, such that a taiwanese company could suddenly, by some mysterious process, turn into a "de facto" chinese one. Taiwan and China are not like US and Kayman Islands).
If China believed differently, they wouldn't be allowed to do what they do in domestic China. China is nationalistic first, concerned with money second.
I don't see China being any more nationalistic than the US is. At least they aren't invading all other the place, nor do they play "world cop". As for China protecting it's national interests, more power to them.
Foxconn isn't going to hand Apple a permanent monopoly over efficient processes to the detriment of their domestic buddies. That's not how China works.
Every day that goes by, Apple's lead will erode in both quality of product and manufacturing advantage. It's not due to anything Apple will do wrong, it's due to how markets work, particularly in technology.