Nov 29, 2016 07:14 AM EST By Shunie Pearl Dela Cruz, UniversityHerald Reporter

Apple's Asian market is reportedly increasing, thus, leads to the expansion of R&D Center of Cupertino-based tech firm to Asian countries such as Indonesia as confirmed by the Indonesia government. Is Apple pulling out from China and continues the expansion to other Asian countries like the Philippines? Read more details here!

Apple R&D Center in Jakarta, Indonesia for 2017

The minister of Indonesian Communication and Information confirmed that the Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is expanding their R&D Center to Indonesia in 2017. According to MacRumors, the preparation of the project is now at the final stage of development and Apple is looking forward to complete the construction as well as the hiring at the end of 2017.

In addition, the minister said that the identification of location will be done in December followed by the construction kick-off earlier in 2017. While it is known to everyone is that Apple's investment costs millions of dollars but Minister Rudiantara is tight-lipped and refuses to divulge any figure to media and other press.

Apple's investment to Indonesia is perceived in two things: first, tapping into the countries local and cheap labor and second, a political will and strengthening of ties between Apple and other countries to increase revenue of their products, 9 to 5 Mac has learned. For this reason, netizens started to speculate that Apple might pullout the R&D Center in China because of political rift most especially with the newly elected president of the United States.

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country with an estimated population of about 260 million people, following India, China and USA.

Apple R&D Center in the Philippines for 2018

Wild speculations of the netizens has also led to the recent rumors on the opening of Apple R&D Center in other Asian countries like the Philippines. However, this news remains unconfirmed; thus, readers must take the information cynically.

Aside from China, Apple has also an existing R&D Center in other countries such as Japan, Israel and the United Kingdom. 

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