The newest iMac models, which were unveiled at Apple’s iPad Mini event in October, recently started shipping to customers on Friday. But besides the strikingly slim look of the 5-mm-thick iMac, there’s something else that may catch your eye. According to Apple Insider, reports of iMacs being assembled in the U.S have been popping up. One of these “Assembled in the USA” iMacs came from a customer who bought it at B&H Photo, while two other reports – one from a Fortune reader and the other from the illustrious team over at iFixit – link the American-made iMacs to the Apple Store itself.
9to5Mac says this isn’t the first time an Apple computer has had an “Assembled in USA” label. It is, however, the first time it’s been on the actual device (previous models have had the labels on the packaging). Also, refurbished Apple products have had a similar label on them.
According to Fortune, the 21.5-inch iMacs could be first example of an Apple computer being assembled in the U.S. Obviously, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission regulates whether or not manufacturers can post a “Made in USA” label on products. The FTC states that, for a device to have an “Assembled in USA” label, there needs to be an extensive amount of work done domestically, and the product’s last “substantial transformation” needs to occur in the U.S.
What does this mean in terms of the American-branded iMacs? Well, either Apple and its manufactures are doing a considerable amount of iMac assembly in the U.S., or the label could be exaggerated a bit. However, judging from the transition of moving the label from the packaging to the actual device, we doubt that Apple would be stretching the truth about actually assembling these iMac’s in America. There is a chance that Apple could be doing a limited production run of only a few iMac’s in the U.S., and then could be sending the information to China after for a large-scale production. But, considering the extensive supply problems Apple is having regarding its devices in China, especially with iMac’s, the company might be trying to move more and more of its manufacturing to the States. Foxconn, Apple’s main manufacturer, already has a few locations in the U.S.
At the D10: All Things Digital conference in May, CEO Tim Cook said that he wanted more American-made Apple products. “We will do as many of these things [in America] as we can do,” Cook said, “and you can bet that we’ll use the whole of our influence to do this.” It seems like Apple’s already started the process with its new iMacs.
Photo via iFixit
As previously stated, this is *assembled*. The ‘assembly’ could simply be snapping two pieces (there were made and ‘assembled’ elsewhere) together. Don’t read anything into it that Apple is actually ‘making’ things here.
Its about time
“assembled”. so?
shocking…
That’s the “USA factory” in China
It was a trade. China gave us all of their pentalobe screwdrivers and we gave them all of our suicide nets.
SURPRISE!
The last time I bought a Mac with this label was in 1999. It has been used every day since without complaint, and while my newer, China-assembled Macs have died, the PowerMac hasn’t.
misprint?
Oh no… that means they’re going to start falling apart sooner, huh…? Maybe I shouldn’t get one assembled on a Friday?
FOXCONN >?
ASSEMBLED? i Call BS
you can search the serial number in Apple Support, it identifies it as a desktop but no results found, but Model #A1418 is a 2012 imac
“Assembled” and “Made” in the USA are two very different things.
In the Marianas, where slave labor usually assembles clothing that carries the label Made in the USA?
This was probably back when they were stlll called Macintosh.
Parts are likely built in china or phillipeans and then assembled in the US.
That’s a pretty awesome photoshop job!
Assembled in the USA is not possible, prices will increase or companies will lose money, its much better to pay cheap labor overseas its the only way the can profit and grow.
That’s freakin awesome !!!
it’s about time.
This Actually looks like a Really old Label …. Like a 90′s Label. Current ones have the small print above the “FCC” Larger font text. Also on Current Products, there is a Short distance between the FCC and the “do not throw away” Icon.
There are a Lot of things wrong with this that make me think this if from the 1990′s.
Must be final assembly.
parts are still made in a chinese sweatshop.
About damn motherfucking time…..!!!!
Where’s Apple’s marketing department on this one?!?!
They still suck eggs.
Assembled vs. Manufactured
LOL where is the marketing dept on this? THIS IS PROBABLY IT!
Precisely targeted advertising. Goes only to those of us who pay attention to it – because a lot of people think they are made in the USA already. Don’t want to suffer a loss by highlighting how RARE it is. People will all be checking their ipads to see where they are made; there are probably so few USA models, they will become an underground collectible
Back to our industry support, YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!
I love seeing this. If Apple was smart, they would market this product as made in the USA. I know a number of people that would buy it simply because it’s built here.
Well if they move production to the US I would assume the price would rise, But for $3000 I would think that they make enough money to keep the same price and still pay Americans Minimum wage at least.