Well, don't they make cell phones in Japan? Their manufacturing costs are as high there as they are here. The made Motorola X and other 'Moto' cell phones in Ft Worth up until a year ago. They were making money here. But, they only made mid range phones and although they made a good product, the smartphone business is competitive and they couldn't compete against the big guys. Then, the Chinese bought them out. Nokia made phones in Sweden and Blackberry makes them in Canada. BBRY doesn't make phones anyone wants anymore, but they still make them. You don't think that if they brought cell phone manufacturing back to the states that they could design a manufacturing process that could eliminate a lot of the manual labor used in China ? Do you think that returning jobs to the U.S. is suppose to make us more competitive or do you think it is to create jobs for the middle class and a rising tax base for the local governments?
To my knowledge Japanese phones are all made in China. Nokia hasn't been making phones in Finland since what, 1998? They never made phones in Sweden I think. Nokia phones were made in China in the 21st century. Your information is many decades outdated. It was a different era, a mobile phone was a rich man's product in the first half of the 1990s, they could charge accordingly. Now it's been a throwaway item for over a decade. People eating up Trump's garbage don't understand that 1st world high living standard countries have to make cutting edge products that either are not trusted to 3rd countries or lack the talent. Making phones, screwdrivers and matches in America would be economic stupidity.
Manufacturing being brought back to the U.S. has been on the uptick since around 2013, this is due to advancements in robotics. These plants are fully automated - nothing but robotics, and usually the techs that repair them are from overseas. If Trump really wanted to make America great he would focus on education to make workers competitive, there is a huge shortage of engineers in the states. Trump only cares about what is good for him and his family, and his 1%er friends.
I think technological transfer of relatively lower end products to offshore production strategically is Not new in our recent history. Especially for the ones having short product life-cycle more suitable for mass-production/market. One of the main purposes for the above is to stimulate newer innovation and further technological advancement for innovative products. Usually, keeping onshore-production of too many old products for too long, or competing against low labour-cost manufacturing would be only good for a complacent mentality - slowing down an advanced/developed economy. The more advanced innovative products than can be sold to the people living in countries that were recipients of previous technological transfer. As well as expanding new markets for some mature consumer products, including Coca Cola, KFC, Johnson & Johnson, etc. imo, pushing much harder and quicker for new innovation that can be manufactured onshore, due to secret know-hows, would be the right approach, rather than looking backwards, relying heavily on raising tariffs. However, personally I think absolutely minimum tariffs for the aim of maintaining small number of optimal set-up of manufacturing plants/facilities could be a good thing. Not necessary mass production. Such as small scale manufacturers for special cars, special watches, special phones, special computers, special equipment, special machinery, special bicycles, etc. They should be backed financially by the funds from collecting tariffs for individual industries as mentioned above. Therefore, practical technical skills can be developed/trained for advancing more innovations, initially produced onshore. That sooner or later would be also transferred to other countries for offshore production. This would be an ideal process that one day even Africa would be able to produce low-end products for making a living. Just 2 cents!
There just phones people, don't get me wrong, love my shiny toys, about 3 years ago they pretty much reached there peak tech wise, been minor improvements in real terms since and gimmicks. About the only thing on interest of recent is the I phone 7 plus optical 2xs zoom, would never fit in a pocket so woman with hand bags only.
Phones are an excellent example of production life-cycle. Most people on ET have seen the mobile phone go from a jaw-dropping invention to something you completely take for granted. @OddTrader basically summed it all up perfectly and he's entirely right that it's a good idea to keep limited specialty manufacturing even when it comes to more basic products.
I'm 45 so i remember before, I was 1 of the first of my friends to have 1, tiny little sony, mic flipped down on an arm, no screen at all, 6hour battery life at best lol ( girl who sold it me was gorgeous, I dated her for well long enough ) There is no real reason to buy 1 every 2 years like there used to be, even my PC is 6 years old and still working fine, they where yearly upgrades a while back.
Can't remember her name, long dark hair, very pretty fuller figure, she was best mate 5 years of this other girl I was seeing . Ahhhh top be young again
I hear Aussie chicks love Americans. Is that true? Cause I love the accent. Hell I could probably even tolerate blondie and her red haired ......... (pause) .... self.