Apple in talks with suppliers to make MacBooks in Thailand: Report

According to the report, it has also been mass-producing its Apple Watch in Thailand for more than a year

Apple Inc is in talks with suppliers to make MacBooks in Thailand as part of the company's ongoing efforts to expand its manufacturing presence beyond China, Nikkei reported on Thursday.

Suppliers who are participating in these talks have existing manufacturing complexes in Thailand for other clients and are discussing possible assembly and production of components and modules for MacBooks, sources from three suppliers directly involved in the conversations with Apple told Nikkei.

Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

It has also been mass-producing its Apple Watch in Thailand for more than a year, the Nikkei report said.

Covid-related issues made Pegatron Corp, a Taiwan-based key iPhone assembler "emphasise" its expansion in other countries, a senior executive had said last year.

Foxconn, which assembles around 70% of iPhones, has also been diversifying production away from China, where strict COVID restrictions disrupted its biggest iPhone plant last year.