Foxconn

Suppliers gearing up for production of iPhone 8’s curved-glass chassis

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 31, 2016

In 2017, the iPhone should undergo a top-to-bottom industrial design overhaul with a number of hardware improvements planned for the handset, such as a wraparound AMOLED display curved at both sides like that on Samsung's Note 7 and the Galaxy S6/S7 range, as well as an all-new glass enclosure.

According to a recent Chinese-language Commercial Times report cited by DigiTimes, Taiwanese suppliers are now ordering machinery for the production of curved glass chassis for next year's iPhone lineup. The glass casing should help differentiate the Tenth Anniversary iPhone, as the media affectionally calls the device, and give Apple fans more reasons to upgrade.

Photos of alleged iPhone 7 Plus casing leak out of Foxconn factory

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 15, 2016

Allegedly genuine images that surfaced on Chinese forums this weekend, discovered by Dutch blog TechTastic.nl, seem to offer a closer look at an iPhone 7 Plus casing inside a Foxconn factory. Someone who appears to work on the factory floor has been photographed holding what resembles a casing for an iPhone 7 Plus in their hand, showing it from various angles. The images corroborate previous leaks and mark the first time photos of an iPhone 7 unibody chassis have leaked out of Foxconn.

Foxconn reportedly developing OLED displays and glass casings for 10th Anniversary iPhone in 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 9, 2016

The rumor-mill has been adamant that a 2017 iPhone model—dubbed by the press a Tenth Anniversary iPhone because the original iPhone was announced and released in 2007—will adopt power-saving organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology and feature an all-new industrial design.

Japanese outlet Nikkei is now reporting that iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn is developing both OLED displays (Foxconn bought Sharp earlier this year) and glass casings to secure orders for the Tenth Anniversary iPhone in 2017.

iPhone manufacturer Foxconn replaces 60,000 factory workers with robots

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 25, 2016

Robots are taking over iPhone manufacturer Foxconn: the world's biggest contract fabricator has successfully replaced as many as 60,000 factory workers with sophisticated machines that use artificial intelligence to perform elaborate assembly work more efficiently than humans do, a government official told the South China Morning Post.

iPhone manufacturer Foxconn buys Nokia feature phone business from Microsoft

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2016

iPhone manufacture and the world's largest contract fabricator, Foxconn, has made an interesting purchase, snagging the Nokia feature phone business from Microsoft for a paltry $350 million with a little help from private equity backed HMD Global.

Nokia's feature phones, which are powered by the Series 30+ operating system, once were its bread and butter—especially in pre-smartphone days.

Suppliers ramping up hiring ahead of iPhone 7, which has ‘more complex’ design

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 19, 2016

Apple's Taiwanese suppliers have kicked off the recruiting process in preparation for an 'iPhone 7', CNBC reported Tuesday citing Economic Daily News. The mass-hirings have started earlier than usual because the iPhone 7 design is said to be “more complex than previous models,” which meant that Apple's suppliers needed to start work on iPhone 7 parts earlier than on previous iterations.

Both Foxconn and Pegatron had ramped up hiring as they prepared to assemble the upcoming iPhone 7 models, ahead of their expected September release.

Foxconn said to be close to deal to build iPhone plant in India

Cody Lee ∙ May 9, 2016

Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn is close to signing a deal with the Indian government to open an iPhone manufacturing plant in the country, reports the Economic Times. More specifically, the company is looking for a 1,200-acre plot of land in Maharashtra.

Today's news comes nearly one year after we first heard of Foxconn's interest in building facilities in India. If the deal goes through, the electronics-maker hopes to construct a $10 billion building for assembling Apple's smartphones, and others would likely follow.

Panama Papers leak suggests iPhone manufacturer Foxconn may have evaded $22 billion in taxes

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 8, 2016

A whopping 11.5 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, so-called Panama Papers leak, reportedly suggest that the world's top contract fabricator Foxconn, which assembles iPhones and many other consumer electronics products for other tech firms, may have evaded taxes worth up to a massive $22.86 billion via investments in Panama's offshore companies.

Foxconn vehemently denied its involvement in the Panama Papers scandal. In an eyebrow-raising move, the Taiwanese firm then dropped veiled threat it might resort to suing news publications that make up such rumors, according to DigiTimes on Friday.

iPhone manufacturer Foxconn buys Apple supplier Sharp in a $3.5 billion deal

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 30, 2016

It's finally official: the world's leading contract fabricator, Foxconn, which assembles iPhones and other products for Apple and other consumer electronics companies, has purchased the struggling Japanese giant Sharp, one of Apple's display panel suppliers, in a deal valued at a reported $3.5 billion.

As reported today by The Wall Street Journal, Foxconn believes this transaction will improve its position on the technology value chain and has plans to expand Sharp's production capacity and invest in the production of OLED screens that future iPhones are expected to adopt.

WSJ: iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn is delaying the signing of Sharp takeover agreement

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 26, 2016

As previously reported, Apple's favorite contract manufacturer Foxconn has made a $6.2 billion bid to acquire the ailing Japanese consumer electronics maker Sharp, which has been in the business for a cool 103 years now. Although Sharp’s board has made the decision to accept the offer last Thursday, it seems the acquisition is not a done deal after all.

As reported Friday by The Wall Street Journal, Foxconn is reportedly delaying the signing of the takeover agreement after it had been “surprised” by new information Sharp had disclosed just a day before.

Foxconn to acquire Sharp for $6.2 billion

Cody Lee ∙ February 24, 2016

Apple partner Foxconn is set to acquire Sharp for roughly 700 billion yen (or $6.2 billion USD), reports Nikkei Asian Review. The outlet says that Sharp's board voted on Thursday morning to accept the offer, and plans to restructure its operations under the Hon Hai umbrella.

The deal, which has not been officially announced yet, comes after years of failed negotiations between the two companies. Foxconn has made several attempts to acquire the struggling electronics giant, or large pieces of it, with the latest offer of $5.3 billion coming in January.

Foxconn makes a $5.3 billion offer to buy ailing iPhone display supplier Sharp

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 21, 2016

The Wall Street Journal has it on good authority that Foxconn, the world's biggest contract fabricator that assembles products for Apple and other companies, is buying Sharp, an iPhone display supplier.

Sharp has been in financial crisis for several years and banks have bailed it out twice in three years.

Foxconn has reportedly offered approximately ¥625 billion, or about $5.3 billion, to acquire Sharp. Back in 2013, Foxconn was supposed to buy a large stake in Sharp, but the deal quickly collapsed over share price dispute.