Wired
On October 26, according to Taiwanese media DIGITIMES, Wingtech, the leading ODM in mainland China, has replaced Taiwanese factories such as Quanta and Hon Hai to become Apple’s MacBook assembly plant. The emergence of Wingtech Technology shocked the Taiwanese industry.
Taiwan’s Apple supply chain industry said that Wingtech is already setting up production lines and is currently in the initial trial production stage. The reporter asked Wingtech for verification and received no feedback.
Apple announced two new MacBook Pros this year, including the 14-inch and 16-inch models, which are rumored to be exclusively assembled by Quanta. Not only did Apple introduce more efficient M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, but also adopted Mini LED panels for better screen display. Brighter is more power-efficient, which makes Guofan’s eyes brighter, and it is also expected to inject shipping momentum into the MacBook supply chain.
At present, Apple’s Mac series products are the only product line that is still fully assembled by Taiwanese factories. Other products have already been assembled by mainland Chinese assembly plants. In recent years, the proportion of shipments has continued to increase, even squeezing out Taiwanese factories to become major suppliers, such as AirPods.
In fact, Apple wanted to diversify Mac orders in the past, and Taiwanese companies Compal and Pegatron have also actively entered the market. Recently, Apple is rumored to have visited factories for Mac assembly in mainland China. Wingtech finally made its debut and replaced Quanta and Hon Hai as the new MacBook assembly plants in 2022.
In the past, Wingtech focused on mobile phone, tablet, IoT and notebook ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) business. Acquired Anshi Semiconductor in 2020 and became Apple’s power device supplier. In 2021, it will acquire the camera module business of OFILM and plan to enter the Apple iPhone supply chain. Now it is reported that it has entered the Mac supply chain, which shocked the Taiwanese industry.
Taiwan’s NB supply chain pointed out that Apple has a clear attitude towards suppliers’ dispersal of production, and has also tried to import Chinese manufacturers in Mac assembly plants. This time, the win of Wingtech Technology shows that NB assembly is no longer controlled by Taiwanese manufacturers. .
The growth momentum of Apple’s MacBook in recent years, especially when Apple began to abandon Intel processors and switch to its own M-series processors. Its cost-effectiveness has been affirmed by consumers, and its sales have continued to increase, far better than the overall NB market performance. According to statistics from DIGITIMES Research, NB shipments will increase by 17.4% annually in 2021, and MacBook shipments will increase by 27.21% annually.