Production

How Apple’s gadgets achieve smooth finish

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 7, 2016

If you ever wondered how the smooth and shiny finish of Apple products is achieved in manufacturing, here's your answer. The process called anodizing makes metals such as aluminum and titanium corrosion-resistant by growing an oxide layer into the metal.

A nice clip based on a chapter in the book Eight Amazing Engineering Stories explains the anodizing process in Layman's terms through the mouth of Bill Hammack the Engineer Guy.

As you know, anodizing is used on many Apple products, including most of the Macs sold today, and is likely to be applied to an upcoming iPhone 5 said to feature metal-clad back...

Sharp to share know-how for new iPhone display factory

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Well, we didn't have to wait too long for the first fruits of a recent partnership struck between Asian product assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry, also know as Foxconn, and Japanese electronics giant Sharp.

According to a new report, Sharp will share its technological know-how with Foxconn's new manufacturing facility in Chengdu that will produce display panels for Apple's iPhone and other consumer electronics devices...

Foxconn building high-tech $210 million Apple plant

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 21, 2012

A new report out this morning from Far East asserted that Hon Hai Precision Industry, also know as Foxconn, is investing $210 million in an upcoming plant in Huai’an city meant to help satisfy the ever-growing demand for Apple products around the world.

Though this one won’t be as big as Foxconn’s other plants in Shenzen where an estimated 200,000 workers churn out millions of devices each month, the new facility will employ 35,8000 workers...

Samsung: Apple “definitely using” our chips, “no plans” to cut production

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 17, 2012

Samsung has allegedly launched its latest 20-nanometer mobile memory chips ahead of schedule, acting on market concerns that a rumored Apple-Elpida partnership could hurt their business. New 4Gb mobile DRAMs are currently shipping to customers, the global conglomerate said, confirming it's been supplying memory chips for Apple's iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

It's business as usual, execs for South Korea-based Samsung claim, adding the company is not losing its edge as Apple’s top-tier client. Still, Cupertino could soon buy fewer chips from Samsung as it's been moving aggressively to diversify its part-sourcing channels...

Samsung just lost $10B market value on Apple order stoppage rumor

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 16, 2012

Samsung has lost a whopping ten billion dollars of market value on rumors of order stoppage concerning DRAM chips. The iPhone maker has reportedly secured half the manufacturing output from Elpida, a struggling Japanese maker of dynamic random access memory chips.

Apple is Samsung's biggest client and Cupertino's business contributes substantially to their fortunes so no wonder Samsung’s shares fell yesterday more than six percent to a nine-week low, effectively wiping out a cool $10 billion of the company's market capitalization...

How about an iPhone with a bendable display?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

A report out this morning from Far East suggested Apple could be interested in adopting Samsung’s new flexible OLED screens, presumably for use in iPads, iPhones and iPods. The South Korean conglomerate last year supplied Apple with nearly $8 billion worth of processors, NAND flash chips and screens for iOS devices.

Now, Samsung has reportedly received a “huge” number of orders for flexible OLED displays and supposedly Apple is among the phone makers interested in this technology. An iPhone with a flexible display, anyone? Just a pipe dream, you say? Bear with me for a second, there's more to this than meets the eye...

Apple suppliers reportedly building specialized plants in preparation of iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 14, 2012

As rumors concerning an alleged $200 iPad mini have lately begun picking up considerable steam, industry sources from Apple's supply chain in Asia have chimed in with claims that Taiwanese suppliers are building specialized plants to meet Apple's ever-growing demand for parts and components that go into its iPhone and iPad.

The sources also mention these new production facilities are being constructed in preparation of the iPad mini, said to feature a 7.85-inch display and a low price close to $200.

Apple, which shipped nearly 50 million smartphones and tablets in the first quarter of this year, is responsible for a big chunk of its suppliers' profits.

The Cupertino company controls an estimated two-thirds of the tablet market, though Apple's lead is believed to diminish as Windows 8-based tablets and those running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich arrive later this year...

Foxconn readying iTV manufacturing using Sharp’s cutting-edge display plant, CEO hints

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 11, 2012

Apple is working on a much-anticipated full-blown television set, Foxconn CEO hinted in a Friday interview with a Chinese newspaper. It should feature an aluminum body, Siri voice commands and a sophisticated camera for FaceTime video calling. Foxconn is the world's largest contract manufacturer and Apple's favorite partner that gets commissioned to assemble their products.

Oh, and remember when Foxconn recently acquired an eleven percent stake in Japanese giant Sharp? The deal led to a 50-50 joint venture concerning Sharp's cutting-edge display plant. Well, that was "one of the preparations made for the new device", Foxconn CEO said.

One of the preparations could also be Apple buying a stake in Foxconn. Also important, as we explained Apple is likely interested to tap Sharp’s technology to produce Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) panels for own-branded television set...

Apple will tap its cash hoard to improve labor conditions in Foxconn plants

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 27, 2018

Apple is going to spend an unknown portion of its $110+ billion cash hoard toward improving labor conditions in manufacturing facilities run by its contract manufacturer Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry.

This has been confirmed by Terry Gou, the CEO who runs Taipei, Taiwan-based Foxconn which assembles Apple products alongside Pegatron Technology, another Asian contract manufacturer...

Rumor: iPhone 5 due in September, iPad mini in August, iPad 4 in Q4

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Citing sources close to Apple's supply chain, Asian hit-and-miss trade publication DigiTimes reported this morning that Apple will launch a sixth-generation iPhone in September, followed by the long-rumored seven-inch iPad mini in August and a fourth-generation iPad in the fourth quarter of this year.

According to the report, Pegatron has reportedly landed orders for the next iPhone while Foxconn is said to manufacture the seven-inch iPad mini, presumably designed to tackle the lower-end of the tablet market currently occupied by Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire tablet...

“Breakthrough” Liquidmetal Apple gadget at least 5 years away

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 2, 2012

Apple's love for new materials and its penchant for innovative manufacturing processes is well documented and evident in shiny products it builds.

Perhaps no other material has gotten the rumor-mill as much excited as metallic glass, better known as Liquidmetal.

Apple owns worldwide and exclusive rights to use this new material in consumer electronics products. And while it has yet to build a Liquidmetal-based gadget, the company did buy the amorphous alloy for a good reason - and I'm not talking about the SIM ejector tool.

One of the creators of this Terminator material has now spoken about Apple's Liquidmetal plans, explaining how Liquidmetal's gonna make Apple gadgets even more exclusive and sexier than ever.

Apparently, a "breakthrough product" based on Liquidmetal could be in the works. Before you start jumping for joy, bear in mind it's gonna take years as plants and the alloy itself simply aren't mature enough for mass production...

Report: TSMC has a “good chance” of winning Apple’s chip biz in 2014

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has long been rumored to become an alternative supplier for Apple-designed processors powering iOS devices. However, yield issues and manufacturing difficulties with the foundry's 20-nanometer process pushed back those plans.

Meanwhile, Samsung continues to make the Ax-series of processors for the latest iPhone and iPad. Per chatter from Asian supply chain, TSMC is working hard to ramp up 20-nanometer production “ahead of schedule”, apparently in a bid to win over Apple’s chip business from Samsung by 2014...