Making an iPhone in the US is not realistic due to the logistics of 2,700 different components

The idea of fully manufacturing the iPhone in the United States faces huge logistical and economic hurdles, according to a new Financial Times analysis, highlighting why Apple has repeatedly dismissed the proposal as unrealistic.

The publication notes that a modern iPhone consists of approximately 2,700 different components, which are manufactured at more than 700 manufacturing sites around the world. While some final assemblies and elements, such as the display glass and Face ID lasers, are made in the United States, almost all other components of the touchscreen and internal electronics come from Asia, mostly from China.

“China’s supply chain ecosystem has been in place for decades,” explains Andy Tsai, a professor of information systems at Santa Clara University. “Recreating that network in the United States would take just as long and require far more investment than any presidential term can provide.”

Meanwhile, a 2016 study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) concluded that moving iPhone assembly to the U.S. would have little impact on production costs, as factories would remain largely automated and create few new jobs. This assessment is supported by Apple and its suppliers, who argue that any move to the U.S. would require a huge capital investment with minimal return on labor.

However, the idea of bringing iPhone production back to the US has been revived periodically under pressure from the Trump administration, which has repeatedly called on Apple to move its facilities to the US. However, experts warn that US trade and industrial policies can change dramatically with each election, making long-term planning for complex electronic supply chains difficult.

"Businesses need policy stability for many years," Tsai adds. "Projects that span decades cannot be dependent on four-year political cycles."

The article notes that only about 30 of Apple’s suppliers operate entirely outside of China. Most are located in coastal provinces, where components—from semiconductors to precision parts—are moved quickly between factories. Trying to replicate the same tight geographic and logistical coordination in the U.S. would require creating an entirely new network of specialized manufacturers, logistics operators, and highly skilled engineers.

Despite the symbolic appeal of the idea of a "Made in the USA iPhone," the Financial Times analysis once again shows that building Apple's global, complex supply chain in the US is proving too expensive, time-consuming, and yields few of the expected economic benefits. Apple will therefore continue to insist that its current global manufacturing model is the only viable one for high-tech products of this complexity.