Apple, Google product shift to Vietnam slows due to Covid-19

Google's upcoming Pixel 6 smartphone range will be made in China even though the company had planned to move production of the handsets to northern Vietnam early last year, four people familiar with the matter told Nikkei.

Apple will start producing its latest AirPods earphones in China instead of Vietnam as previously planned, two more experts told the news outlet.

The company plans to move around 20 percent of new AirPod production to Vietnam later, it was added.

Apple's plan to bring some MacBook and iPad production to Vietnam has also been put on hold.

Production of smart doorbells, security cameras and smart speakers for Amazon in northern Vietnam has also faced delays since May, two people with direct knowledge of the matter told Nikkei.

In recent years, major tech giants have been shifting or making plans to move production from China to Vietnam to diversify their supply chains.

However, the recent outbreaks of Covid-19 this year in both the northern and southern region have put on hold these transitions.

The country has recorded over 289,200 Covid-19 cases since the end of April.