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Apple supply chain - page 4

Apple’s support helps Japan Display nail down an extra $830 million bailout

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International governments plan to rethink tax rules for the ‘digital age’
Japan Display is getting some help from Japanese asset manager Ichigo Asset Management.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

Struggling Apple display maker Japan Display claims it has nailed down an extra $830 million in bailout financial support from Japanese asset manager Ichigo Asset Management.

Ichigo joins Apple and Apple contract manufacturer Wistron in the effort to save the beleaguered business. And it wouldn’t have done it without Cupertino’s support.

Apple could sell 3 million AirPods over Black Friday and Cyber Monday

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Apple’s wearables business will explode through 2023
AirPods are worth their weight in gold to Apple.
Photo: Caviar

Apple could sell upward of 3 million AirPods units during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping holidays, claims Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.

Ives bases his guesstimate on Apple Store checks, inventory levels at a number of retailers, and more. Overall, Ives thinks Apple will sell more than 65 million AirPods units this year — and even more will follow in 2020.

Apple display-maker executive fired for embezzling millions of dollars

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Apple display maker exec fired for embezzling millions of dollars
Japan Display makes LCD screens for the iPhone.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

Apple display-maker Japan Display may be struggling — but one of its executives apparently hasn’t been. The firm revealed today that it fired an accounting executive last year for allegedly embezzling $5.3 million over four years.

Japan Display is now cooperating with police in a criminal investigation of the unnamed employee.

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission investigates Apple again

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Apple Japan required carriers to subsidize iPhone
Apple is accused of abusing its power with suppliers.
Photo: Apple

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission is investigating Apple’s tactics for selling iPhones in the country.

The Japanese FTC thinks Apple might have abused its power by pressuring Japanese suppliers into unfavorable deals. Questionable methods allegedly include providing free technology and expertise to Apple affiliates, stopping them from selling to other companies, and making them shoulder costs for unforeseen problems.

This might be a bad time for Apple to move out of China

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Foxconn employees accused of $43 million iPhone scam
Tim Cook speaks with a worker on an iPhone production line.
Photo: Apple

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives thinks this could be a bad time for Apple to shake up its supply chain by moving iPhone manufacturing out of China.

In a note to clients, Ives singles out the first 5G iPhone and the launch of Apple TV+ as reasons why Apple should seek to minimize stress right now. In other words, Apple execs could do without the “gargantuan” headache that shifting around its supply chain would involve.

Apple may throw a lifeline to struggling iPhone display-maker

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iPhone sales
Japan Display currently makes iPhone XR displays for Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple may help out struggling display-maker Japan Display, a new report claims.

Japan Display, which makes screens for the iPhone XR and an upcoming Apple Watch model, suffered a devastating blow this week. After appearing to have sorted out a bailout from a Chinese consortium, several members dropped out.

‘AirPods 3’ could bring big design changes this year

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AirPods 2 with box on desk
AirPods Pro could be more affordable thank you think.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Apple’s third-generation AirPods could bring big internal design changes, according to a new report.

Supply chain sources claim Apple will switch to system-in-package (SiP) technology that frees up space inside each bud. The move could allow other components to be squeezed inside the tiny wireless headphones.

Foxconn gears up to make flagship iPhones in India

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iPhone XS Max vs. iPhone XS size: Sometimes bigger really is better.
Designed in California, built in India.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Foxconn is reportedly “within weeks” of starting trial production of the iPhone XS in India, Bloomberg reports.

Manufacturing will take place at a Foxconn factory in the southern city of Chennai. Rival manufacturer Wistron already makes the iPhone 6s, iPhone SE and — now — the iPhone 7 at its own facility in Bangalore.

Struggling iPhone display-maker may be thrown a lifeline

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iPhone XR test
Japan Display manufactures the iPhone XR's LCD screen.
Photo: Apple

iPhone display-maker Japan Display says it is in line for a financial injection that could bail out the struggling company.

The firm said Monday that it will raise up to 110 billion yen ($990 million) in new financing as early as this week. Japan Display has been suffering as a result of the slowdown in iPhone sales and Apple’s shift to OLED screens.

Introducing Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level

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Tim Cook book cover
Learn all about Apple's current CEO.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook is seriously underrated. Seven years after taking over as CEO from Steve Jobs, the narrative that he’s riding his predecessor’s coattails needs to change. It’s just not true.

Cook is his own man, transforming Apple in his own way. See Monday’s Apple credit card and subscription News+ app as examples, which are centered on customer privacy, a big Tim Cook mandate.

The company today is a better corporate citizen than it was in the past. And as a business, it’s firing on all cylinders. Cook is doing almost everything right. Some pundits are beginning to argue he’s Apple’s best CEO yet.

Apple whips its gigantic global supply chain into shape [Opinion]

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Apple supply chain worker inspecting glass
Apple is really cleaning up its supply chain under Tim Cook.
Photo: Apple

Over the years, Apple took heavy criticism for employing an offshore supply chain rife with abuse. The company is still stained by the rash of worker suicides in 2010 at Foxconn, its main supplier.

But as Apple’s latest Supplier Responsibility report shows, the company continues to make remarkable strides to improve conditions for workers and the environment.

Apple and suppliers suffer a bruising day on stock market

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money
AAPL is having a tough time right now. At least comparatively.
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple stock took another plunge yesterday, finishing down 4.4 percent. The reason for the fall is continuing concerns about the iPhone, which have caused numerous analysts to downgrade their price targets for AAPL.

It’s not just Apple that’s being affected, either. The company’s suppliers have also been hit by fears about the future of iPhone sales. Multiple suppliers associated with Apple have seen their stock prices decline by up to 5 percent as a result.

If you think iPhones are expensive now, try making them in USA

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Foxconn
These assembly workers could be American instead of Chinese if we’re willing to pay a lot more for our iPhones.
Photo: Foxconn

There’s a good chance the iPhone and other Apple products will be hit with tariffs in the Trump administration’s trade war with China. The president has repeatedly stated his simple solution: Make the iPhone in the United States.

But an analyst warns that moving assembly of Apple’s handsets to the U.S. would significantly increase their price.

Why this is the perfect time to buy Apple stock

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iMac Pro
When a company has good long-term prospects, the time to buy shares is when others are getting out.
Photo: Apple/Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

It hasn’t been a great month to own shares of Apple. But if you’ve been considering getting in, one analyst says now is the time to buy.

Shares of the iPhone-maker have dropped 17 percent in less than two weeks. But this an overreaction to bad news from parts suppliers.

iPhone XR looks set to become a massive smash hit

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iPhone XR
Are you excited about the iPhone XR?
Photo: Apple

Respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the iPhone XR is going to be a massive smash hit for Apple — and it seems everyone is being taken by surprise by how in-demand it will be.

In a recent note to investors, Kuo increased his estimate for fourth-quarter iPhone XR shipments by 10 percent. Instead of 33 million to 35 million iPhone XR units over the quarter, he now thinks Apple’s suppliers will ship out 36 million to 38 million units.

iPhone manufacturer struggles despite record revenues

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iPhone sales drive Apple’s biggest supplier to big profits
Foxconn just announced its lowest net profits in five years.
Photo: CBSRe

With Apple recently hitting a $1 trillion valuation, you’d think it would be a great time to be an Apple supplier. According to new quarterly earnings released by Apple’s long-time manufacturer Foxconn, however, that’s not entirely true.

As revealed in Foxconn’s latest financials, consolidated revenues rose 17 percent year-on-year to reach a new historical high of $34.43 billion for Q2 2018. Unfortunately, net profits for the quarter fell 2.18 percent on-year to their lowest level in five years.

Apple has a surprising amount of unsold iPhone X inventory

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iPhone X wireless charging
Did Apple misjudge its iPhone X predictions?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is sitting on a massive stockpile of unsold iPhone X devices, a new report claims. The backlog reportedly equals almost three times the number of the high-end handsets already shipped.

If correct, this would be unusual for Apple. The company normally proves very good at forecasting the number of units it should manufacture. The rumor suggests that, even nine months after the iPhone X went on sale, Apple is still trying to get to grips with the exact demand for the device.

iPhone is made in America, Tim Cook insists

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Tim Cook says iPhone is an American product
Workers in Texas produce components for the iPhone X. Many parts for Apple's products are made in this country.
Photo: Apple

It clearly makes Tim Cook angry that people think the iPhone is made in China. “It’s not true that iPhone isn’t built in the United States,” Apple’s CEO said today.

The design work definitely happens in the United States. However, Cook points out that Apple suppliers produce many components in this country as well.

Samsung reportedly makes $110 for every iPhone X Apple sells

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So that's how you pronounce
If the iPhone X is a hit for Apple, Samsung will be very happy indeed.
Photo: Apple

Although devices like the Galaxy S8 and Note 8 are officially Samsung’s response to the Apple’s next-gen phone, the South Korean tech giant will nonetheless do quite well from the success of the iPhone X.

How well? According to a new report, Samsung will earn roughly $110 for every iPhone X that Apple manages to sell.

Samsung ramps up iPhone OLED production in a big way

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iOS 11 Beta 4
Samsung is seeking a bigger piece of the iPhone pie.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Samsung plans a massive seven-fold increase in OLED production for Apple this year, according to a new report.

The display-making Samsung division reportedly installed seven production lines at its A3 plant, which will be dedicated exclusively to Apple. They will allow Samsung’s monthly OLED capacity for iPhone screens to increase from “just” 15,000 sheets to a massive 105,000 sheets!

Apple could spend big for exclusivity over LG’s OLED displays

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RED iphone
Future iPhone displays could all be made by LG.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple could make a significant investment in LG Display’s new OLED production facility to ensure exclusive supply for future iPhones, according to a new report.

The company is said to be considering a 2 trillion to 3 trillion won (approx. $1.75 billion to $2.62 billion) deal, and a final decision is expected later this month.

Rivals suffer as Apple sucks up smartphone component supplies

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iPhone 8 facial recognition
The iPhone 8 isn't a phone you want to be competing against.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 8 is set to be a monster seller for Apple, and that’s not so good if you’re a rival handset vendor in China, where smartphone component inventory levels are at an all-time low.

Currently in demand parts include smartphone memory, camera sensors and batteries. And high-volume production of new iPhones in the third quarter is likely to affect availability of fingerprint sensors, metal cases and assorted display components.