A field note from Shenzhen: low-cost TWS earbuds, chip decap services, and the supply chains behind “fake” hardwareI bought a pair of “Huaqiangbei AirPods” on Taobao for 67 RMB — about 10 USD at the time. They are clearly not genuine Apple AirPods. The packaging, the pairing screen, and the overall experience are designed to look familiar, but the product itself is a completely different piece of hardware. ...
Chip decap in Shenzhen, low-cost electronics, and what “Made in” really meansI gave the opening talk on Day 1 at Teardown 2026. The talk was not only about opening products. It was about what teardown can reveal about the real structure of hardware manufacturing: where design happens, where components come from, how supply chains are connected, and how much of the story is hidden behind a simple “Made in” label. ...
Disassembling “Made in India” in a Chennai Hotel Room: How Self-Reliant Is India’s Manufacturing Ecosystem?A 110 INR calculator, a cracked screw boss, and a Shenzhen-style PCB — what they reveal about Chennai’s industrial stage. In a small general store in Chennai, I found a calculator with “MADE IN INDIA” printed boldly on the box. Right next to it was a Japanese CASIO model. The CASIO cost 520 INR. The Indian one cost 110 INR — roughly one-fifth of the price. ...