Apple has reportedly made one of its most significant moves to shift iPad development away from China, with Nikkei Asia claiming that the company is moving what’s called New Product Introduction (NPI) development to Vietnam for the first time.
Apple has partnered with China’s BYD, a significant iPad assembler, to transfer new product introduction (NPI) operations to Vietnam. NPI entails tech firms like Apple collaborating with suppliers to ensure the feasibility of new product designs. This marks Apple’s first instance of relocating NPI resources to Vietnam for a fundamental device.
Sources informed Nikkei Asia that engineering verification for test production of an iPad model is set to commence around mid-February next year. The anticipated release for this model is scheduled for the latter half of the following year.
The process of new product introduction (NPI) requires significant resources from both Apple and its suppliers. This includes employing engineers and investing in laboratory equipment for testing new features and functionalities.
Traditionally, a majority of Apple’s NPI work occurs in China, working closely with Cupertino-based engineers to leverage the country’s extensive hardware manufacturing expertise developed over decades. However, due to geopolitical uncertainties, Apple is reassessing this strategy. Additionally, there are plans to transfer certain NPI processes for the iPhone to India, as reported earlier by Nikkei Asia.
The post Apple makes ‘significant move away from China’ as it shifts iPad development to Vietnam first appeared on The Apple Post.
Original Article Published at The Apple Post
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