During Jeff Williams’ recent trip to China, there was considerable buzz about the imminent opening of new laboratories in the country. That moment has now arrived!
What is the purpose of these new research centers?
Last March, Apple unveiled its plans to establish research and development facilities in China, one in Shenzhen and another in Shanghai. However, no specific dates for their opening were provided. A tweet on X (formerly Twitter) from Shenzhen Daily – quoting local sources – indicated that the second facility was ready to open
and was starting to hire staff, still with no firm opening date.
Initially covering 20,000 square meters, the facility is expected to become the research and development hub for the Greater Bay Area. This economic zone includes Hong Kong, Macao, and nine cities in Guangdong province. Cupertino has reportedly invested over $138 million in these two sites. Currently, the company operates four R&D centers in China, and this new site is the largest outside the USA.
The site’s activities will primarily focus on material analysis and the reliability and quality testing of its products – including the iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. The laboratory will also enhance Apple’s collaboration with local suppliers.
China remains a strong player
Despite efforts to diversify its supply chain outside the country, Apple continues to invest in research. The company has already established R&D centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Shenzhen, with its research and development team in China doubling in size over the past five years.
Moreover, this opening comes as Cupertino faces increasing competition in China, particularly from Huawei, which is also based in Shenzhen. Huawei has surpassed Apple in mainland China for the first time in nearly four years.