Apple could employ up to 500 people at the new operation. Image: Chuyuss/Shutterstock
Apple is about to open its first R&D centre in China as part of a pattern to optimise local resources in various markets.
Apple is to invest $45m over the next few years in a new R&D hub in Beijing that will employ up to 500 people.
According to Chinese media, the new R&D hub will be located in Haidian District, Beijing, at the Zhongguancun Science & Technology Zone.
This zone is also home to the Chinese R&D centres for tech giants like AMD, Google, Intel, Lenovo, Oracle and Sony.
Apple has China in its hands
The centre will have a starting budget of $14.9m, which could triple to $45m in the years ahead, according to Digitimes.
The 500 employees will focus on the development of hardware and software products, as well as communication, audio and video devices.
The move follows Apple’s establishment of similar R&D and software centres in locations such as Canada, India, Indonesia, Israel and Vietnam, to optimise local resources.
This week, it emerged that Apple is also preparing to consolidate its 1,400-strong UK workforce in a new mega building at the Battersea Power Plant development in London with room to house up to 3,000 people.
