Google and Amazon have both branched out much more than Apple, though Apple is trying to open a Seattle office.
I'm just surprised they would choose Austin for manufacturing, as it means they have long supply lines and have to build an industry that doesn't currently exist in Austin.
Mac Pros have been coming out of Austin since 2013; the article details as much. Furthermore, Austin's been a major center for the US semi-conductor industry for quite some time.
Here are just a few orgs that have an Austin presence:
- Dell (HQ in Round Rock)
- Apple
- Nvidia
- Qualcomm
- Intel
- Samsung
- AMD
- Silicon Labs
- Cirrus Logic
The MacPro is built by Flextronics and they have had a factory in Austin for a while. Not sure when they opened it, but I used to work at a building in the same complex. It was there when I was at that job in 2011.
