Apple’s newest Vision Pro comes with a notable change on the box: it now says “Product of Vietnam.” According to Bloomberg:
The latest model, which goes on sale Wednesday with the new M5 processor and more comfortable band, is assembled in Vietnam, according to labels on its packaging. The original model, which debuted in February 2024 with the M2 processor, was initially built in China.
Though the Vision Pro is one of Apple’s lowest-volume products, the move underscores the company’s shift away from China. It continues to make most iPhones in the Asian country, but much of Apple’s US-bound device production is moving elsewhere.
Apple has been engaging in a tough balancing act, seeking to keep the Chinese government happy but also dealing with the realities that come with President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the need to diversify its supply chain.
A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment on the move.
Earlier this year, Apple shifted the majority of iPhone supply for the US to India — aiming to sidestep new tariffs on China-made goods. And the company makes most AirPods and Apple Watches in Vietnam. It also produces some iPads and HomePods in that country.
Bloomberg News reported last week that Apple’s upcoming slate of new smart home devices — including a smart display, indoor security camera and tabletop robot — would be built in Vietnam.
The Vision Pro has been considered a failure. It’s the latest sign that Apple has largely failed to innovate under CEO Tim Cook, and is dining out on the success of the iPhone.
However, the effort to move Vision Pro production out of China is a welcome development. NLPC brought a shareholder proposal in 2023 that requested an audit of Apple’s operational risk from conducting business in China. We argued that Apple’s extensive relationship with the communist Chinese government is unsustainable because of the country’s human rights record and increasing geopolitical tensions with the United States. While the Vision Pro is a low-volume product, moving production out of China is a sign that Apple has caught up to NLPC’s assessment of China risk.
