"The amount of profit Apple makes means it should be fairly easy for them to dramatically improve conditions for overseas workers"
In a similar vein, the amount of money the average westerner makes means it should be fairly easy for them to save a life in Africa every day.
I do not think Apple in particular is to blame for what we as a collective do.
"That would be a huge sales point for them"
Would it? Can you give one example of a company that behaves that way and gets a hugs sales boost from it? If so, how does that sales boost compare to Apple's profits?
The entire branding side of fair-trade is based on the idea that there is a sales boost from advertising that you treat your workers fairly.
So an obvious example would be Starbucks' investment in fair-trade coffee.
[edit] but this only is profitable if people are basing purchasing decisions on it. Before this current furore, there was very little press about these issues, so if from this a 'fair-trade' hardware movement emerges, it would then be profitable for Apple to exploit it, but in the absence of one it isn't.
In a similar vein, the amount of money the average westerner makes means it should be fairly easy for them to save a life in Africa every day.
I do not think Apple in particular is to blame for what we as a collective do.
"That would be a huge sales point for them"
Would it? Can you give one example of a company that behaves that way and gets a hugs sales boost from it? If so, how does that sales boost compare to Apple's profits?