Apple takes delivery of 188 mysterious ocean containers
Here’s an intriguing report from ImportGenius, a search engine that gathers “competitive intelligence” by monitoring U.S. Customs records of ocean containers entering American ports.
Searching for shipments to Apple, Inc. (AAPL), employees at the Scottsdale, Ariz., company reported on Friday that they’ve spotted a “major spike” since mid March in ocean containers marked with a mysterious new label: “electric computers”
“They have never before reported this product on their customs declarations,” says ImportGenius managing director Ryan Peterson, who notes that there has been no corresponding falloff during this period of shipments labeled “desktop computers” or any of the other labels Apple usually uses.
“The fact that they are importing millions of units, combined with dwindling stocks of the first generation of iPhones,” persuades Peterson that these “electric computers” are, in fact, the 3G iPhones Apple is expected to release in a matter of weeks.
He makes a strong case, citing records of a total of 188 ocean containers shipped to Apple from two trusted Asian suppliers, Hon Hai Precision Corp. and Quanta Computer.
For example, on March 19 Apple took delivery from Quanta of 20 containers of merchandise, described on the Bills of Lading as “electric computers.”
“The initial shipments were followed,” according to ImportGenius.com, “on March 27, April 28, May 6 and May 17 with an additional 44 containers—each containing an estimated 40,000 units of the new phone. The sixteen containers imported by Apple Inc. itself—as opposed to the Quanta subsidiary—were delivered on March 19 and 27 to the Jonestown, Pa. facilities of Ingram Micro, Apple’s U.S. distribution partner.”
You can read the rest of the report here. It’s quite impressive in its specificity. It notes, for example, that “Bill of Lading # HLCUSHA0803FTFR8, arrived at the port of New York on the Vessel NYK Delphinus on May 17th.” That shipment contained 504 cartons, weighing 7140 kg, of the vaguely described “electric computer.”
“Knowledge is power,” declares ImportGenius’ promotional material. “Whether you are looking to keep tabs on your competitors with Supply Spy, identify suppliers with ImportScan our easy to use online software makes it easy. You get access to records on nearly every container that entered the United States from 2006 to the present.”
Who knew?
Now if we can find those nukes when they come into the country we will be alright
No, it’s not that there is little news in the world, it’s that your country is absolutely screwed in the head.
Is there so little news in the world that we need articles on what might be happening?
“China is a socialist republic” perhaps people are confused by the name “Communist Party of China” which is, you know, the only legal party in your “socialist republic”…
Andreas, San Diego, CA (May 26, 2008 6:16 pm): “Funny, last I checked, China was Communist and India was Socialist.”
That’s not funny at all, it’s incorrect. China is a socialist republic, with many exempt trading zones. India is a federal democracy, just like the United States except organized differently.
This doesn’t read like the typical keynote hype before the WWDC. It’s heavy on the sources and light on the actual information. Instead, this sounds like ImportGenius is trying to generate publicity by capitalizing on the seasonal hype. I guess it’s clever marketing, but nobody really gives a crap about a search engine for ocean containers. Or at least I don’t.
gotta agree with Fletcher.. this is a blatant, yet subtle; attempt to get people to go visit ImportGenius.com and start using that site to track stuff.. the author may cover Apple extensively, but i hope he wasn’t paid to drop names..
as for the globalization debates? not going near that.. it deserves it’s own news article..
gee whiz, talk about the mother of all off-topic arguments. why dont you guys go mano-a-mano instead ? sheesh
who needs dental coverage anyway? brush every day and floss and you’ll be fine
“Globalization is making a bunch of us far more wealthy. Isolationist jacken-ape communists like yourself would happily take the world economy back 100 years. No thanks.”
Funny, last I checked, China was Communist and India was Socialist. Looks like it’s the Texas jackass supporting Communism – oh, yes, b/c it has made you more wealthy. Good for you. When the US economy collapses due to the fact that we have become a society of people like you – greedy idiots who don’t produce nearly enough and can’t tell the difference between “wealth” and “debt” – you can bask in the consequences of your sanctimoniousness.
“…I’m sorry but the job your dad used to have has been moved overseas. You might want to ask him and his union buddies if they really needed that extra dental coverage and no-deductible health insurance…”
do you have a high-paying white collar job?
thats great, but how can you knock union jobs? workers don’t deserve rights? they should be taken advantage of because you can’t recognize their way of life as you speed by in your mercedes. probably don’t notice much as your head is buried in your blackberry and starbucks.
i have a lucrative union job and as a freelancer my family and i depend on health and dental benefits.
i could be wrong. please continue to mock people that work hard and can’t afford to pay $1200 every time they need dental work.
These new iPhones contain voice translation technology. You will set your language preference. The new iPhones will translate real time from one spoken language to another. This is a cordinated effort between Apple, AT&T and Google.
I use AT&Ts 3G service and love it. I get on the average 1500kbps down and up with no problems and they are soon to upgrade to 3000kbps. It’s all about infrastructure and location.
Let’s all get real! The fact is that we as Americans take too much for granted. Going to McDonalds and buying a Value meal costs more than a week of food for an entire family for over 80% of the worlds population. America accounts for 5% of the global world population and consumes 1/2 of the worlds resources. Let’s not be unrealistic about putting the little man down and crying about your job being sent overseas. This is the land of opportunity but you have to work and educate yourself more than ever before to succeed and you can do it!Whether you realize it or not.
Hahahaaaa… Come on why wouldnt it be the iPhone. Makes sense. Ive ahd a bunch of phones and it is a good phone. This one should be a good update CLEARLY, and I believe AT&T has the IT in place to make its side of the deal.
So much negativity… dont like it stick with you Blackberry and Blackouts. damn.
This is shameless self promotion, not by Apple, but by this company selling shipment tracking software. Who knows if it’s true or not. Specificity isn’t worth anything unless you can double check the details.
Most people who are following the news about the iPhone suspect that a new 3G model will be announced at WWDC in a couple weeks. The details in this story would lead you to believe that the phone will actually be released at WWDC. The delay between announcing the original iPhone was very unusual for Apple. They like to have stock in the stores on the day of their announcement.
As to being manufactured in Taiwan. Yes, they are, but so too are just about all the consumer electronics we buy. I doubt you can find a cell phone which is manufactured in the U.S. However, there are still many components manufactured in the U.S. The U.S. is a world leader in semiconductor design and manufacturing.
Ever notice how all the folks from Texas are just as happy being controlled by Globalists? Bet they wear panties, too.
Verizon is terrible. I had them for two years, I dropped a call every other hour. When it comes to data speed, it took 3 days for my “instant” messages to show up. And email, forget about it. I sent my boss an email, he didnt get it until after he fired me for not responding to his email.
Don’t waste your money on any 3G product that is on the AT&T network. They don’t even have their i.p. backbone in yet, which will limit bandwidth and make for a shabby service at best. I would suggest switching to Verizon for much better multimedia services.
Globalization – maybe not such a bad thing for the world? We all can agree that a well feed human population is a good thing (unless you are not for the betterment of a global society). Commodity prices are rising ( people in developing countries can afford to buy enough food to feel full due to globalization and rising incomes globally). That is bad for food prices but generally good for the human kind.
So Apple makes computers ocerseass – well we all could not afford to buy them if we made all of it in the states. Besides corporate profits are up in no financials in the 1st Q. If you look at the big picture we will have some ruff times but things are not as glom and doom. We would be well served by not going into a protections trade environment and should consider LATAM trade agreements as a real opportunity to bust our own economy, Lets hope we do not take a step backward.
This is not news, but rather a selfish promotion for Apple. It is all part of a grand master plan by Steve Jobs to post news about itself.
at 40,000 a container ,that would be7.5 million units . i doubt that .
Oh pipe down- you whiney prole!
Globalization is making a bunch of us far more wealthy. Isolationist jacken-ape communists like yourself would happily take the world economy back 100 years. No thanks.
Grow up and evolve. I’m sorry but the job your dad used to have has been moved overseas. You might want to ask him and his union buddies if they really needed that extra dental coverage and no-deductible health insurance.
The people who supports and defends globalization and the outsourcing of jobs and money overseas to exploit cheap labor and expendable manpower is the same people who supports tyranny and outright suppression of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
Globalization: I don’t care about you poor people as long as I get my nifty, hi-tech gadget made by you poor people.
Who do you blame for all this then? The companies that are forced look overseas to stay competitive? I don’t see any hope because the whining idiots will vote for the same politicians this november and will still be unable to connect the dots as to why gas prices are going thru the roof.
I can only wonder how much lead or other toxic material was in each of those containers from China.
I guess the US economy really isnt doing that bad, or maybe we are getting ready to bail out the next bunch of cedit card happy spenders? Its pretty sad when Americans are getting taken to the cleaners first by Enron/Worldcomm, then Mortgage brokers and financials, and now Big Oil. WHERE ARE ALL THE POLITICIANS AND WHAT HAVE THEY DONE FOR US?????? China will be the last superpower. And if somehting doesnt replace oil soon its trickle down effect will be devistating, complete collapse of the system, or world war. Now theres something to keep in the headlines and not the latest toys, pretty sure thats how americans got themselves in this mess in the first place.
Err, where is the news here? Apple builds its products in China. Apple announced a new set of 3G phones. Steve Jobs suffers from paranoia. It makes sense they will be coming in unmarked containers from China. So what is the mystery or the news?
With the Fair Tax the corporations would no longer be double taxed and the USA would become the tax haven of the world. All those jobs and dollars would come back home. The biggest bonus is that it would really piss off the UN.
Yes its probably the 3G iphone but its not the only damn product apple makes so can we got over the iphone already?
I am interested in the updated notebooks and other stuff the might soon have on offer.
Who cares????
I bet a bunch of people working the semi-conductor industry here in the states care…..
Just because your comprehension of the working industry/economics is set to your little neighborhood doesn’t mean that that’s the entire world.
Yeah, globalization is great. Maybe these US pro-global economist ought to get it right. It makes sense to ship off a US high paying manufacturing job to China. As a result, the city were that plant was located is not paying taxes, the county where that plant was at is not collecting taxes, that state where that plant was located is not collecting taxes, and those people who were making 15-20$ an hour is no longer paying county, state, or FEDERAL TAXES. Instead of collecting taxes on 15-20$ per person, the government is now collecting taxes on $7 an hour. HAHAHA, yeah the USA has benefited the from the global economy alright. 10$ trillion in debt and climbing, IOU’s in Social Security, and a war in two different countries.
Brian from Bel Air:
The economics you refer to suggest something very different then what you propose. The concept of Laissez Affair is not real anymore, especially in the US. The US is the most regulated country in the world and its that regulation that makes your argument suspect. If China were to be held to the same standards as companies manufacturing in the US and all things equal, then you could make that argument. Everyone who understands economics realizes that our exporting of services to India and goods production to China is harmful to the US. A country carrying such a one sided trade balance is clearly exporting its wealth and importing cheap goods. Its exporting your salary and your wealth and if it doesnt affect you directly now, then it will in the future. This global economy you seem so proud of is in essence outsourcing the future of our children. There is little value, long term, in a service based economy. Its manufacturing that put the US on the map after WWII and its manufacturing that is putting China on the map. The first part of the last century Argentina was a dominant economic force because it produced real goods, and when it stopped?
I don’t see too much loyalty to buying from American workers here. I personally prefer to buy American made products but since there are so many greedy corporations that moved to other countries, it is hard to find “Made In the USA.”
Toney,
You obviously arnt paying attention to the 3g iPhone launch news because everyone who is knows that the new phone will be launched at wwdc in a few weeks.
The same applies to you Brian, why pay your salary when we can pay someone in India half do do the same. Where does it end?
“made in the USA”?!? I saw how well made things were with Ford and GM. I will be sticking to imported thanks.
electrical components made in the USA.. What a hoot.. hysterical. Where have you been the last 30 years?
They are probably only desktops and laptops as Apple is building retail stores like crazy right now. One store is being built dowtown Charleston, SC right now.
That $600 operator/vendor locked non smart phone isn’t even made in USA? I am not an american but I am really surprised.
Our ecnomic problems have nothing to do with overseas manufacturing. Globalization helps our economy and every other country’s economies too. Why should a company pay American workers $20 an hour to do work someone in China can do for $1 an hour just as well. You anti-globalization people need to learn about economics.
“Who freakin cares?”
You, apparently, since you not only clicked on the article link, but took the time to post a comment as well. :)
I think it’s just a language difference… in chines a computer is translated as “electric brain”, so written as “electric computer” isn’t much of a stretch.
Rob, you must be kidding. Didn’t that argument go out with the 70’s, 80’s maybe? If companies like Apple start making their products in America, you’ll know that America has gone down the dumps because the cost of labour will be so cheap.
Why would Apple produce the 2nd Gen. Iphone so far in advance of the announcement. I don’t think they even have completed the 2.0 software. And isn’t the 2.0 software suppose to coincide with the release of the new iphone. It just doesn’t make sense. What? Are they going to have customer upgrade the software on release…its just not Apple-like!!
Rob, what?? Do you have even the most basic of international trade? The rest of the world is KEEPING the US economy from complete recession right now with their investments. Not to mention that there’s no way Apple could price it as cheaply if it were manufactured in America. Protectionist policy is the last thing we need right now. Go read an economics for dummies book before sounding off random garbage
Not buying one until they get a carrier other than AT&T.
Will they increase the MPG on my car?
Careful with your IRS Rebate Check!
1. If you purchase a computor you money goes to China.
2. If yuou spend it on gas, your money goes to the Arabs.
3. If you purchase a GOOD car, your money goes to Japan.
4. If you purchase usless stuff, your monhey goes to Taiwan.
5. If you purchase fruits & veggies, your money goes to Honduras & Guatamala.
The only way to keep that money in America is to spend it at Yard Sales, since those are the only business left owned by Americans.
“The era of sending our dollars overseas to buy goods is coming to an end.”
Yeah. Right.
I won’t be buying an Apple Iphone until they are manufactured in the U.S. The era of sending our dollars overseas to buy goods is coming to an end. The U.S. economy is in recession and getting worse with inflation. If Apple wants to keep the U.S. market, they must build what they sell to us, in our country.
Impossible, Hon Hai and Quanta are PC manufacturers. Steve Jobs would never do that to us.
ex ped: Don’t know much about Quanta, but Hon Hai (also known as Foxconn) makes lots of Apple products, including the MacBook Air, iPods and first-generation iPhones.
found good read about 3g iPhone on http://dvice.com
They say, that AT&T issued no vacation memo from June 15 to July 12
“so what comes in 31.17 Lb cartons?
(please correct me if I’m wrong).”
104 iPhones at 4.8 oz each :)
Just a question: from logistics stand point, does it make sense to take product delivery 2 months before launch. i.e. having huge inventory sitting idle and potential of dealing with bugs if product shipped to early.
could be a bogus report since apple typically airlifts new products directly in… and it’s still about 16 days until the keynote, so it’s probably another shipment of iMacs.
Perhaps Apple has a version of Microsoft’s big ass table?
It’s actually 31.23 lb cartons (7,140 kg = 15,741 lbs).
Can’t be Mac Pros they weigh 42.4 lbs, new iMacs at 25.4 lbs then??
Math was right, but there is no actual description of number of units per carton. The article did say each container had 40,000 units, So maybe each carton contains 80 units. Which puts each unit around .39 pounds. That would be about right.
so what comes in 31.17 Lb cartons?
(please correct me if I’m wrong).
Thanks!
…that’s because, and similarly so, the BlackBerry is also surreptitiously codefied, that is under a nomenclature that’s understood by those “who get it”, as: “Tiny Electo Abbaccus Thingy w. Minature Coloured Etcho Scetch”, (No stringy needed between cans) Eh. Apple GOOD RIM PALEO .
No way, it’s an iPod with a hand crank–never needs a battery! :-)
Well, B Mei, let’s hope that the Greek isn’t involved.
Sounds like an episode of “The Wire”! Getting interesting…
- Dr. LSD to Steve Jobs: How was your trip?
- Mac vs. PC: Microsoft lowers the bar to $700
- Apple, Palm seen cutting into BlackBerry sales
- Steve Jobs’ health: Where’s that SEC probe?
- iPhone wait reduced to 30 minutes in New York City
- Demand for new MacBooks outstrips supplies
- Where have all the white iPhones gone?
- Antitrust: Apple and AT&T in DOJ’s sights
- Analyst: China Mobile still an iPhone contender
- NY Times: Fixation on Steve Jobs’ illness ‘unhealthy’
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Silicon Valley veterans like to joke that Steve Jobs must be surrounded by a reality distortion field; if you get too close to him, you start to believe what he's saying. Thanks to the success of the iPod, the launch of the iPhone and the renewed interest in the Mac, Apple has made believers out of millions of customers - and made a lot of investors rich. But Philip Elmer-DeWitt believes that an ounce of skepticism never hurts when writing about the company. He should know. He's been covering Apple - and watching Steve Jobs operate - since 1982, first for Time Magazine, then for Business 2.0, and now for Fortune.
Eh, I guess you can’t get everyone to enjoy the easy going articles from time to time. . I guess everything has to be serious serious serious all the time. I enjoyed the unimportance. CJ