Business | Schumpeter

Does Apple’s boss have a Plan B in China?

Brace for an iPhoney trade war

LONG BEFORE Tim Cook became Apple’s boss, when his job was to wring costs out of the company’s supply chain, he learned of a problem with a supplier in China. “This is really bad,” he told his staff. “Someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty minutes later he saw one of his executives sitting at a table. “Why are you still here?” he asked quietly. The executive stood up, drove directly to San Francisco’s airport and bought a ticket to China.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “iPhoney war”

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