Apple Watch might go through a big change behind the scenes. Until now, this wearable has been assembled mostly by Quanta, but that’s reportedly going to change next year. No less than three companies are going to take on the job.
Apple pouring $1 billion into iPhone production in India
Apple is reportedly spending $1 billion on growing its production capacity in India. This is part of an ongoing move away from the tariffs that will soon be levied on iPhones assembled in China.
It might also help increase Apple’s sales in India.
Apple responds to complaint that Foxconn factory broke labor laws
Apple says that it is working to fix a problem in which too many temporary workers were found illegally working on the iPhone line at a Foxconn factory.
Over the weekend, New York-based watchdog China Labor Watch published a report about alleged violations. These supposedly took place at the biggest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China.
However, while Apple acknowledges the group’s point about temporary workers, it maintains the other findings are inaccurate.
Applier supplier Foxconn sales hit new record high
Life is good if you’re Apple’s biggest contract manufacturer! Foxconn, a.k.a. Hon Hai Precision Industry, has reported its highest-ever August sales in the company’s 45-year history.
Foxconn sales hit $12.76 billion for August. That’s up 0.2% from one month earlier. This is the sixth consecutive month in which Foxconn has registered month-on-month increases. While it can’t necessarily all be chalked up to Cupertino, Apple represents more than 40% of Foxconn’s total sales.
Apple is relying on factories in China more than ever
Apple may be trying to wean itself off manufacturing in China, but despite its use of factories in Brazil and India, it’s actually relying on China more than ever.
According to Reuters, the majority of Apple suppliers have become increasingly concentrated in China. Although Apple uses small factories outside the country, these are typically used only for small domestic runs.
Foxconn takes heat for using teens to build Amazon devices
Frequent Apple contract manufacturer Foxconn recruited kids as young as 16 to work on its production lines, leaked documents show. The company reportedly pushed the teenagers to work nights and overtime as part of the job.
On this occasion, however, Apple isn’t the company under fire. The recruits (classed as “interns”) were working on the Amazon production line. They were building devices like the Echo smart speakers.
Apple joins Foxconn and Microsoft in $108 billion fund focused on A.I.
Apple has teamed up with investors including Foxconn, Microsoft and… the National Bank of Kazakhstan to participate in a new “technology mega fund.”
The $108 billion fund is organized by SoftBank Group Corp. The goal is to focus on investing in A.I. related technologies.
India might steal iPhone production from China
Apple is reportedly significantly increasing iPhone production in India. Rather than just making low-end handsets, the latest top-tier models will be manufactured and sold there.
These will be less expensive than imported units and might improve Apple’s sales in this huge potential market.
Wall Street worries put the hurting on Apple’s suppliers too
It’s not just Apple which relies on, well, Apple to make money. There’s a whole ecosystem of other companies orbiting the giant Cupertino sun, too. And they’re all affected by whatever news raises or lowers Apple’s share price.
That’s what took place this week when Wall Street’s latest wobble about Apple sent out shockwaves through the supply chain. As a result, a whole lot of companies which do business with Apple suffered their own sympathy stock declines.
Apple’s biggest supplier is getting a new boss
Foxconn, Apple’s oldest and largest supplier, has announced its new boss. Young Liu will step into the role of chairman after billionaire founder Terry Gou announced that he was stepping down.
Gou, who is 68 years old, is planning to run as a candidate in the 2020 presidential election in the Taiwanese elections.
Apple warns U.S. tariffs would hurt its global competitiveness
Apple warned U.S. trade representatives this week that President Donald Trump’s plan to impose more tariffs on Chinese goods will negatively impact its contributions to the U.S. economy.
In a letter written to U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, Apple urged the government not to impose tariffs. The new set of tariffs would make Apple’s products more expensive and give Apple’s competitors an advantage.
Apple wants to cut down on manufacturing in China
Apple has reportedly asked its main suppliers to evaluate the cost of shifting 15% to 30% of their production from China to Southeast Asia.
This is a response to the burgeoning China and U.S. trade war, which has already impacted Apple’s share price. If new tariffs go into effect, it could drive up the cost of Apple devices considerably.
iPhone chip manufacturing on its way to Indonesia
Apple manufacturing partner Pegatron plans to invest up to $1 billion in a new iPhone chip plant in Indonesia.
The Taiwanese company outlined its plans in a letter of intent to the Indonesian government, according to a new report. Pegatron plans to work alongside local company PT San Nusapersada.
Apple’s biggest supplier suffers disappointing Q1 profits
Foxconn is Apple’s biggest supplier, and the world’s largest contract manufacturer. However, that wasn’t enough to stop it from underperforming in its latest quarterly earnings.
The company, whose official title is Hon Hai Precision Industry, reported net profits of T$19.82 billion ($637.26 million) for the first three months of 2019. That might sound good, but it’s down 17.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Apple supplier CEO meets with President Donald Trump
Foxconn CEO Terry Gou visited President Donald Trump at the White House yesterday. Foxconn, which was founded by Gou, is one of Apple’s biggest manufacturers.
Gou discussed his plans to run for office in Taiwan, where he hopes to become president in next year’s elections. He assured Trump that he would be a friendly partner of the U.S. if elected. “If I am elected, I would be seeking to go to Washington,” he reportedly told the U.S. President.
Foxconn CEO may be headed to White House to discuss Wisconsin factory
Departing Foxconn chairman Terry Gou is reportedly heading to the U.S. where he will have a meeting at the White House. The subject of the meeting will be Foxconn’s plans to open a factory in Wisconsin.
Foxconn maintains that it’s working hard to deliver the factory it received $4 billion in tax breaks for. However, behind-the-scenes dealings suggest that the company may be trying to renegotiate terms.
Future iPhones could boast MicroLED displays
Apple could use next-gen MicroLED displays for a future iPhone, a new report claims.
The report claims that Foxconn, Apple’s biggest supplier, is working hard to win MicroLED orders from Apple — and the iPhone is singled out as the likely recipient.
Foxconn wants to change the terms of its Wisconsin factory deal
Foxconn promises that it’s working hard to deliver the Wisconsin factory it received $4 billion in tax breaks for. However, behind-the-scenes dealings show that the company could be trying to renegotiate terms.
A letter from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers indicates that Foxconn proposed a change to the deal back in March. It is now planning to submit “the necessary documentation” to do so in the coming weeks.
Foxconn promises it’s committed to Wisconsin factory
Foxconn swears its committed to bringing 13,000 jobs to Wisconsin just two days after the state’s governor said it wants out from its deal with the Taiwanese company.
Wisconsin governor Tony Evers, who inherited the deal when he took over office in January, said recently that he wants to renegotiate the parameters of the deal that gives Foxconn $4 billion in tax breaks. Not wanting to miss out on all those incentives, Foxconn is adamant about maintaining its course.
Founder of Apple’s most famous supplier is stepping down
The founder of Foxconn, whose biggest customer, Apple, helped it rise to be the world’s top contract electronics manufacturer, says he plans to step aside to allow a younger executive to take over.
CEO Terry Gou did not give a timeline when he confirmed to a Reuters reporter his plans to resign from the Taiwan-based company he started with a loan from his mom around the same time Steve Jobs launched Apple.
Apple and Foxconn, a history [Cook book outtakes]
This post was going to be part of my new book, Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level, but was cut for length or continuity. Over the next week or so, we will be publishing several more sections that were cut, focusing mostly on geeky details of Apple’s manufacturing operations.
Foxconn was founded around the same time as Apple, although 6,000 miles away on the other side of the world. In 1974, when 19-year-old Steve Jobs was working at Atari, 24-year-old Terry Gou borrowed $7,500 ($37,000 in today’s money) from his mother to start up a business.
How Ops operates back at Apple HQ [Cook book outtakes]
This post was going to be part of my new book, Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level, but was cut for length or continuity. Over the next week or so, we will be publishing several more sections that were cut, focusing mostly on geeky details of Apple’s manufacturing operations.
As iPhone growth exploded, Apple struggled to keep up with demand. Every year, the number of iPhones sold would double, which meant that Apple kept adding new suppliers and assembly operations to keep up. It was a monumental struggle.
Inside Apple’s factories [Cook book outtakes]
This post was going to be part of my new book, Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level, but was cut for length or continuity. Over the next week or so, we will be publishing several more sections that were cut, focusing mostly on geeky details of Apple’s manufacturing operations.
A good measure of the size of Apple’s manufacturing operations is its capital expenditure, the amount of money spends on things like buildings and equipment.
Apple’s capital expenditure, or CapEx, is mindboggling. To get an idea of how big it is, take Apple’s new spaceship campus in Cupertino – which is the fourth most expensive building in the world. It cost the company an estimated $5 billion to construct.
Apple spends a similar amount every six months on manufacturing equipment.
Sketchy report claims Apple will resurrect iPhone SE this fall
Apple is preparing an entry-level “iPhone XE” that will be introduced this fall, according to a sketchy new report.
The device is claimed to be an iPhone SE successor with huge improvements, including an edge-to-edge display and Face ID. It could also pack Apple’s latest A12 Bionic processor.
Foxconn gears up to make flagship iPhones in India
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.