When a new Apple product is being made, production ramps up massively in factories that supply components and products to it, this obviously necessitates a large hiring spree by these factories. Until recently these workers could be charged more than a month's salary in recruitment fees by the agency that hired them, rather than …
Read More »Nokia N1 sells out of 20,000 units in 4 minutes
The new tablet from Nokia, the N1 started with a limited production run of 20,000 units and was only being sold in mainland China. I say was, as the initial pre-order has already sold out, in 4 whole minutes! As of several hours ago there were 566,438 customers in China on a …
Read More »Foxconn to produce sapphire crystal glass for next Apple products
After Apple has failed to get the right amount of right quality sapphire crystal glass from GT Advanced for its new smartphones, it has not dropped the idea of using the material, but turned to its partner that manages to always deliver what Apple wants: Foxconn Electronics. Apple has reached …
Read More »Google’s project Ara smartphones to have hot-swappable components
At a recent developer event Google re-emphasized plans to show a fully-functional prototype of its modular Ara smartphone platform in late 2014 and revealed some additional details about the project. Apparently, Google’s plan is to keep everything simple and therefore the majority of modules of Ara handsets will be hot-swappable. …
Read More »Foxconn eyes robots, electric cars, wearables and cloud services
Foxconn Electronics, the world’s largest contract maker of consumer electronics and the main manufacturing partner of Apple, plans to make wearable computing devices, robots and even electric cars, the company’s chief executive officer said this week. Foxconn has been trying to expand and diversify its business for years and now …
Read More »Foxconn to start volume production of next-gen iPhone next month
Foxconn Electronics, the world’s largest contract maker of electronics, plans to start volume production of the next-generation iPhone with a 4.7” display next month. At present it is unclear when the manufacturer intends to begin making the even bigger Apple smartphone with a 5.5” screen. Bloomberg news agency reports that …
Read More »HP and Foxconn team up to make cloud servers for hyperscale datacenters
Hewlett-Packard and Foxconn Electronics, the world’s largest contract maker of electronics devices, on Wednesday signed a joint venture agreement under which the two companies would produce low-cost cloud-servers aimed at big online service providers. The machines will be tailored for individual customers. The changing needs of cloud computing require a …
Read More »Foxconn to acquire chip designer Socle, set to develop own chips
Foxconn Group, the world’s largest contract manufacturer of electronics, is set to take over Socle Technology, a developer of system-on-chip solutions. The buyout will bring additional capabilities to the holding also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry and will help it to gain more customers and diversify its business. Socle …
Read More »Specifications of the first FirefoxOS-based tablet revealed
Technical specifications of the world’s first media tablets based on Mozilla’s FirefoxOS platform have been published. As expected, Mozilla and its manufacturing partner Foxconn Electronics, plan to initially address emerging markets with tablets featuring FirefoxOS. As a result, the hardware that powers the slate is hardly impressive. The first tablet …
Read More »Foxconn, Mozilla, Via to build Firefox OS-based tablet
Google Android is slowly, but surely, becoming the most popular operating system for media tablets thanks to support from various hardware makers. But in addition to Apple’s iOS and Microsoft Windows, Android may face competition from an unexpected rival – Mozilla’s Firefox OS – now that it is promoted by …
Read More »China temporarily lifts ban on console sales
If you've been living in China for the past near decade and a half, you'll have been restricted to PC gaming as your main source of video-game entertainment, since console sales were completely illegal. However it now looks like – temporarily at least – China has lifted its ban on …
Read More »PS4 being developed by coerced Chinese students
While Sony might have used Japanese labourers to produce its PlayStation 3 console, it's outsourced that work to China for the PS4, using the always morally dubious facilities and work force of Foxconn, you know, the company that used 14 year old kids to produce iPhones and had several workers …
Read More »Foxconn sells head mounted display tech to Google
Electronics maker – and perpetrator of illegal labour practices – Foxconn, has announced that it has sold patents and technologies to Google that are linked with the creation of a head mounted display. The display technology is said to be related to the superimposing of computer generated effects and virtual images …
Read More »PS4 could be released in August
PS4 component makers are suggesting the next console from Sony could ship worldwide as early as August, because Sony wants to try and push a huge number of systems by the end of the year – 16 million if it can help it. This all comes from Digitimes sources, who are …
Read More »Foxconn workers to become unionised
In a surprising move for the manufacturer that has had so many issues with employee safety, rights and even age in the past, Foxconn, the maker of many things Apple, has announced that it will be allowing its workers to elect union representatives, who will be voted in every five years. …
Read More »Foxconn confirms bribery investigation
Foxconn has confirmed that it is currently undergoing an internal investigation, as well as one from the Chinese police forces, into whether staff at the company took bribes from suppliers. So far one man has been detained, with the Taiwanese manufacturer apparently investigating a further 10 individuals. According to Next …
Read More »Arbitrators rule against severely injured Foxconn worker
A Foxconn worker that needed half his brain removed after an accident at one of the company's manufacturing facilities, has been ruled against by Chinese labour arbitrators, making it now seem likely that he will be forced to undergo disability testing in an area that offers far less support than …
Read More »Foxconn could be making Microsoft and Amazon smartphones
While it's still considered as a rumour for now, there are reports abound suggesting that Foxconn – yes the same Foxconn that employed children – could be set to manufacture the smartphones of both Microsoft and Amazon in the coming year. Taking this with a pinch of salt, we have …
Read More »Foxconn considering US fabrication plant
While it might seem a little unbelievable and unlikely, Foxconn is apparently thinking about setting up some fabrication facilities in the USA. However if this turns out to be true it would certainly need to improve its labour practices, considering the recent problems it's had with child labour and worker fatalities. According …
Read More »Foxconn shares soar on iPhone rumours
Foxconn share prices have jumped by a huge 31.9 per cent after rumours began circulating that the electronics manufacturer would be producing the next iPhone, winning a big contract bidding war with other potentials. This despite the fact that just two weeks ago it admitted to using child labour. This …
Read More »Foxconn taken to court by brain damaged worker’s family
The father of a man who suffered brain damage during an accident at a Foxconn facility that was making Apple products, has taken the manufacturer to court for its handling of the man's care. 26 year old Zhang Tingzhen was electrocuted in a Foxconn factory accident just over a year …
Read More »Nintendo is investigating Foxconn child labour claims
Nintendo has announced in the wake of the Foxconn child labour reports – and the company's admission – that it was investigating what happened and how much truth there really is behind the story. As a quick catch up, Foxconn admitted yesterday to taking part in the illegal hiring of …
Read More »Toys ‘R’ Us accused of making cheap knock offs
Innovation and inspiration are not quite twins, but they are very close cousins. By the same token, derivation and downright rip-off are also closely related. Lawyers get phat on the differences between these words and, right now, some of those lawyers belong to Acer, Foxconn, Kingston and Toys ‘R' Us. You may …
Read More »Foxconn give staff 16% salary increase
One of Apple's main suppliers – Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (Foxconn) said yesterday that they have increased the basic salary of their production line workers by 16 percent. Staff in Zhengzhou, Henan province of China have been offered the increase, partly as the company are having problem recruiting people. …
Read More »Foxconn to build $1 billion Indonesian facility
Electronics manufacturer Foxconn, is set to open a new fabrication plant in Indonesia, that will purportedly cost around a billion dollars to build. However once created, it's said that it will open up a million jobs for the local inhabitants. This would be a welcome investment in the region, where …
Read More »Foxconn don’t give a Fffffffondle
An audit of Foxconn’s Chinese factories has led to ‘serious and pressing’ concerns regarding workers’ conditions. Despite numerous reports of the manufacturer’s lack of regard for worker safety, the factories have not yet seen anything ‘official’ criticise them. Apple have also been heavily criticised for continuing to have the millions …
Read More »Should consumers boycott Apple?
We have been reporting recently on the working conditions at partner factories which produce Apple goods. Since then many of the mainstream press organisations are also latching onto the stories of terrible working conditions and ‘slave labour' claims. The company could face a boycott now if things don't change, quickly. …
Read More »Foxconn plan to replace staff with robots
Foxconn have had to deal with a raft of suicides in recent years, and it seems their latest plans might help resolve the issue completely. They are planning to replace some of their staff with 1 million robots within the next three years. Terry Gou, the chairman of the company …
Read More »Another death at Foxconn factory
The latest news that another death at a Foxconn factory is sending ripples through the industry. According to reports, the 21 year old employee fell to his death, although the circumstances are not yet known. Foxconn are one of the most well known electronic manufacturers who handle work for many …
Read More »iPad 2 Foxconn factory back online, but overloaded
Kitguru has reported on recent events which led to the shutdown of the iPad factory. Recent updates show that the polishing workshops are back online. This is good news for Foxconn, but Kitguru is hearing from insiders that the relationship between Apple and Foxconn is very strained right now. Foxconn …
Read More »