Apple Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan Says Shenzhen Is a Particularly Important Place, Local Applications Research Lab Opens to the Public for the First Time

Tech Home, March 18 — According to Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, the Apple Shenzhen Application Research Laboratory located in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone was opened to the media for the first time on March 17.

Apple’s Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan said, “Our initial supply chain was established in Shenzhen. Shenzhen is a very important place for both me and Apple.”

Geyue, Vice President and General Manager of Greater China at Apple, pointed out that the laboratory’s location in Hetao Shenzhen Park offers the biggest advantage: speed. “Once an anomaly is detected during product development, the team can quickly retrieve samples for analysis at the laboratory and then provide solutions back to the production line. This response speed is crucial in global supply chain management.”

According to Tech Home’s October 2024 report, the Development Agency of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone announced that the Apple Application Research Laboratory in Hetao Shenzhen Park has officially been completed and is operational. The research focuses on reliability, quality, and material testing for products such as iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro.

As the most extensive laboratory outside of Apple’s U.S. operations, it is expected to invest over 1 billion RMB and develop a high-end R&D team of more than 1,000 Chinese and foreign professionals. Apple previously stated that this investment will continue to grow.

According to Apple’s headquarters plan, the laboratory will serve Apple’s Greater China business, including R&D operations in the Asia-Pacific region that were originally planned for Vietnam and other locations, further strengthening Shenzhen’s core position in Apple’s smart manufacturing and supply chain. The initial phase covers a total construction area of 20,000 square meters, mainly for hardware development, intelligent manufacturing, and joint R&D with supply chain partners for Apple’s key products.