Apple's new hardware-focused R&D centre in China to cost $45 million

Apple's new research centre in China will be a $45 million facility focused entirely on developing new technology.

The Zhongguancun Science Park Administrative Committee, the landlord of the site where Apple will build its office, claims the research centre will be working on audio and video equipment, as well as computer hardware.

It also revealed that the new site will have 500 employees.

Working together

The new development was announced in August 2016, but exact details about what the centre would be trying to achieve in China were thin on the ground.

It was said that the R&D centre would be used to bridge the gap between operations staff and engineers in China. It was also hoped that it would improve relations with universities and other partners.

Apple has been having trouble in China lately with its devices being outsold by cheaper, locally-manufactured Android models. The company will be hoping to reverse its fortunes with the iPhone 7 however.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]