( CNN ) -- Americans have become used to the fact that most of the jobs created by Apple are in China . We know that Steve Jobs told President Barack Obama that `` those jobs are n't coming back . '' Recently , an executive at Apple said that the company has no obligation to solve America 's problems by moving some of those jobs back to the United States . As a business , Apple has a right to fear that moving the assembly work from China to the United States will entail raising labor costs so high as to make the company less competitive and profitable . But for it to say that it has no obligation to help solve America 's problems is completely unacceptable . Virtually every piece of technology in any Apple product had its origin or was partially developed on the basis of a U.S. government-funded program . In a global world where piracy of products is commonplace , Apple , like other multinationals , has continuously pressed the U.S. government to enforce copyright and patent laws to protect its intellectual property from international theft . Does Apple owe anything to Uncle Sugar ? You betchum . Big time . Skeptics are right to point out that moving the factory assembly operations to the United States is a nonstarter as long as we continue to have free trade with China . These kinds of jobs are labor-intensive , and the differential in the cost of labor between America and China is just too large . But this is not where the real value or the good jobs we want for Americans lies . The assembly value in an iPhone is only about $ 7 . The real treasure-trove is in the parts . For example , the displays , the processors , memory chips and other key electronic components comprise nearly half of the value of the iPhone . These components require intensive capital and technology investments , but they do not require a great amount of labor . In other words , they can all be produced in America . Indeed , according to a recent study by Booz and Co. , to supply the U.S. market , the most competitive location in which to produce these components is the United States . At the moment , however , Apple is not procuring most of these parts in America . With a few exceptions , the company is getting them from South Korea , Japan , Taiwan , China or Germany . Let 's take Gorilla Glass , a product made by Corning Inc. of Corning , New York , that is used as the display for the iPhone and iPad as well as many other smartphones and tablets . Corning can and does make that glass in America . But to gain access to China 's market , Corning is pressured by the Chinese government to make Gorilla Glass in China so that it can be used in any Chinese factory that makes a product that needs the glass . Basically , Corning must invest and produce in China , even though , in my estimates , it might be less expensive to make Gorilla Glass in America and export it to China . The same is true for other assembly line parts . So what should Apple do ? We know that Samsung , a South Korean supplier , had started to produce a key processor for Apple in Austin , Texas . That 's a good first step . Apple should go further by telling other suppliers that it wants more components to be made in America . One advantage for this move is that it can create an environment in which more research and development is possible , which in turn can strengthen overall innovation for Apple . Apple should also move some of its assembly operations to Mexico . Mexican labor is n't as cheap as Chinese labor , but after one adjusts for the differences in the cost of shipping , establishing assembly-line factories in Mexico should be quite acceptable from a financial and quality perspective . By moving more production of advanced components to America and the human labor to Mexico , more jobs will be added to North America and help reduce the U.S.-Mexican trade deficit , which is about $ 55 billion annually . And by having the assembly work just over the border , Apple can ensure that costs can be kept under control . As Apple is trying to get out of the recent controversy surrounding its suppliers ' labor practices in China , where workers put in more than 60 hours a week , the world 's most highly valued company would do well to consider how best to spend and invest its $ 100 billion cash pile . It needs to realize that what is good for Apple can also be good for the American economy . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Clyde Prestowitz .
Apple says the company has no obligation to help solve America 's problems . Comment: Clyde Prestowitz says yes . Prestowitz : Apple should tell suppliers it wants more components made in the U.S. Apple can also move some of its assembly operations to Mexico , Prestowitz says .