Hasta La Gadget!

Rumors of Apple building a watch-like device have existed since time immemorial — they’ve built up the same near-mythical status that the iPhone did pre-2007, or a TV set does today. The New York Times, however, claims that the watch concept exists as more than just some fan art. Reportedly, Apple has been “experimenting” with wrist-wearable devices that would run iOS and use curved glass. Other details are left to feverish speculation, although the OS choice suggests it would be more than just a glorified iPod nano watch. Before we get too excited, we’d do well to remember that any testing in a design lab doesn’t equate to production plans: the company might well scrap its work before it ever becomes public, if it’s indeed real to start with. Still, there have been enough advances in flexible displays and miniaturization that the notion of connected, wearable Apple gear is no longer as far-fetched as it once seemed.

Update: Not to be left out, the Wall Street Journal has made a similar claim. It adds that Apple has explored possibilities with its contract manufacturer Foxconn, although there’s not much more to learn at this stage.

Filed under: Wearables, Apple

Comments

Source: New York Times

Apparently creating a company called “Qwikster” wasn’t the only bad idea Reed Hastings had: in an internal motivational video uncovered by FastCompany, you get a look at the CEO’s idea of humor. Let’s make fun of overworked, unconscious Chinese workers. More »

Apple is said to be considering a move that will bring Mac mini production to the U.S., through manufacturing partner Foxconn, according to supply chain sources speaking to Digitimes. Foxconn already has an estimated 15 “operating bases” in the U.S. according to Digitimes. Indeed two of those at least include factories in California and Texas that finish assembly of partially assembled products, and while Foxconn officially denied plans earlier in the year to expand to Detroit, it did note that it has multiple U.S.-based facilities already in place.

Part of the production effort will involve Foxconn’s push to outfit some of those facilities with more automated workers, something else we heard the manufacturer was planning for a future ramp-up back in November. More automated production lines would help Apple get around the limitations it has cited in the past for failing to do more production at home in the U.S.: costs, and getting production facilities up to its exacting standards.

The Mac mini is a good candidate for Apple getting its feet wet once again with U.S. production for a number of reasons. First, like the Mac Pro which was first suggested as the likely target for Apple’s $100 million investment in U.S. production, it doesn’t have a screen. Eliminating display components from the equation represents a significant cost savings in terms of shipping components, and it likely has other benefits, too. Displays on most Mac and mobile device models are now integrated tightly with other components including the glass and other internals, so having production facilities near to display partners just makes sense in case things go wrong or need adjustment once limited trial or full production has already begun.

The Mac mini is also a Mac with relatively low shipping volume: Digitimes predicts 1.4 million units total for 2012. While Apple doesn’t break out individual Mac sales figures, that would make for a relatively small chunk of the 18.1 million Macs it sold during fiscal 2012. It’s small enough to be manageable for what is essentially a trial run, while also being large enough to represent a serious undertaking, where producing the niche and aging Mac Pro would’ve been a symbolic gesture, at best.

This is Digitimes, which has a spotty track record, so be wary of its veracity as usual, but remember also that the publication has proven in the past to have significant upstream supply chain access, too, and Apple CEO Tim Cook is on the record saying the production of one Mac line in particular will move stateside in 2013.

It looks like we’ve finally found the missing piece to the puzzle. Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook broke the exciting news that the company is bringing back Mac production in the U.S. Mr. Cook also confirmed that Apple is investing $100 million for the said project and that the company will be working with “people.” The CEO did not specify what “people” meant, and there were speculations that Foxconn could be one of them. If you can still recall, Foxconn has already alluded that it will expand its business in the U.S. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Sprint Rep Denies Selling iPhone To Customer Because His Fingers Are Too Fat, iPod Touch Design Patent Awarded,

Envoyé Spécial, a 60 Minutes-like program from public TV station France 2, went undercover at the Zhengzhou iPhone 5 Foxconn factory recently (within the past two months) and reported many of the same problems the Chinese manufacturer and Apple promised to fix earlier this year. According to the story that aired last night, dorms at the new factory were occupied by workers despite the fact that many were still under construction and had no elevators, electricity or running water — apparently because builders focused on the production lines at the expense of housing. A Foxconn manager even warned employees on hidden camera not to plug devices into dorms that did have electricity, saying that eight workers were killed in a fire after overloading circuits.

Continue reading French reporters infiltrate Foxconn iPhone 5 factory, find few of the vaunted changes (updated)

Filed under: Cellphones, Apple

Comments

Source: France 2 (Envoye Special)