The scale of Apple’s human footprint

Apple directly employs at least 80,000 people in the U.S. and claims responsibility for 2 million more jobs around the country.

From Trump Presses Apple to Shift Production to U.S. in Monday’s Wall Street Journal ($):

Apple assembles most of its products, including the iPhone, in China. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company directly employs at least 80,000 people in the U.S. and claims responsibility for two million jobs around the country, including its own employees and those of suppliers, app developers and entrepreneurs who offer products across its devices. It spent $50 billion last year with more than 9,000 U.S. suppliers maintaining manufacturing operations across 38 states.

Apple said in July that it employs about 10,000 people directly in China and indirectly accounts for three million jobs there through its supply chain, which includes contract manufacturer Foxconn Technology Co. The company has also said it provides work for 1.5 million app developers in China.

My take: As the trade war heat up, it doesn’t hurt—politically—to have manufacturing operations in 38 states.

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