Apple’s earning (just reported) were crazy off the charts.  They are selling more, to more, more often and at higher price.  What’s that, the quad-fecta?  Anyway, it got me to thinking about China and Taiwan and all the other places I suspect Apple products are manufactured and it made me wonder if we Americans were ready to purchase an Apple product with a little made in America sticker on it. 

I read someone once that the most expensive part in an iPhone is the housing, the case that all the parts are contained it.  The part cost something like $7 or $16.   So let’s just ask the question, If there was an Apple US-based manufacturing group that made product solely with American parts, and the prices were 3 times higher, would people buy them?  And what would that do to the aura of Apple? As a marketer, I suspect it would cause some consumer consternation. Okay lots of consumer consternation.  But would it be so wrong?  I’m no xenophobe, trust me, but this approach might help American manufacturing learn a thing.  Then, of course, the products don’t have to be labeled “Made in America,” maybe they are quietly American.

Daring? Yes.  Jobsian?  Yes.  Think different.  (Can you say renminbi?)