Rumor: iBook production moving to China?


DigiTimes reports that Apple is pressuring iBook contract manufacturer Asustek to move production of the consumer portable to China by Q3 of this year. Here's a quote from the article:

"Apple Computer, which contracts [production] its iBook models to Asustek, has pushed the local motherboard maker to migrate its notebook production to China from the third quarter. The migration is expected to complete by the end of this year, and this may tighten capacity at Asustek's Suzhou plant..."

Asustek's Suzhou facility, which was opened in 1999 and currently employs about 34,000 workers, is currently running near its design capacity. That said, the company plans a second production complex in China -- to be constructed near Shanghai.

Reminder -- DigiTimes has a rather spotty record vis-à-vis Apple's ongoing machinations in Asia. A large grain of salt is recommended...

Editor's note: This news contains to tidbits of interest. First, though not a hard and fast rule, shifting production from one site to another often demarcates a design change. The current design -- popular as it still is -- is already over two-years old.

Second, Asustek seems to be in something of bind in that Apple wants to lower costs at a time that capacity (at least low-cost capacity) is highly constrained. Optimistically, the company hopes to open a new facility near Shanghai by the end of the year.

Interesting...