Hasta La Gadget!

Apple‘s not even close to slowing down the number of new products they have in the pipeline, but it looks like the production itself is slowing down a bit due to some rumored production issues on Foxconn’s factory floor. Apple’s upcoming iPad Mini and 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is said to be delayed from the production issues.

It’s said that that both Foxconn and Pegatron aren’t able to get suitable yelds for the display and chassis of the iPad Mini and aren’t able to keep up with Apple’s large orders, which is the cause of the delay. Foxconn has always seen difficulties in keeping up with the demand of Apple products, but this would be the first time in a while that we’ve heard of a production delay.

The rumored 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is also said to be affected by the delay as well. Both Foxcoon and Pegatron are seeing low yields with Retina displays, and it’s said that the new laptop has already been delayed a month so far, which makes us believe that the delay is more serious than expected.

The iPhone 5 has already been rumored to be in a slower production mode, after Apple and Foxconn decided to crack down on inspection and benchmark regulations for the new device after users were complaining of scuffs and scratches out of the box. If Apple is hoping to release their new products in time for the holiday season, let’s hope they make the deadline, but delays certainly aren’t going to make it easier to do so.

[via DigiTimes]

iPad Mini, 13-inch Retina MacBook delayed due to production issues is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple’s iPhone 5 production is slowing, as it attempts to cut the number of devices shipped with nicks and scratches by improving aluminum quality control at Foxconn. More »

Yesterday, China Labor Watch reported that three to four thousand Foxconn quality assurance workers went on strike after iPhone 5 quality demands were raised to extremes. The report also stated that a fight broke out between workers that sent some to the hospital, and that a contributing factor in the strike was that workers weren’t allowed to take time off during the week-long national holiday that kicked off at the beginning of last week. Today, Foxconn is denying that a strike ever happened, saying that production on the iPhone 5 has “continued on schedule.”

Foxconn did tell Reuters in a statement that there were two smaller disputes earlier in the week, but those were handled quickly before things got out of control. “Any reports that there has been an employee strike are inaccurate,” Foxconn stated, continuing by saying that “there has been no workplace stoppage in that facility or any other Foxconn facility and production has continued on schedule.”

The company also admitted that there were some who were working through the holiday, but those who worked did so voluntarily, and were paid three times their normal amount for putting in those extra hours. This is a high-pressure period for the company, with iPhone 5s currently flying off the shelves. Apple has delayed the shipment of new orders to the end of this month, which suggests that manufacturers are having trouble keeping up with demand, something that’s bound to put even more pressure on workers.

So, we have two very different reports coming in – one from China Labor Watch that claims a large-scale strike went down at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou factory yesterday, and another from Foxconn claiming what is essentially the exact opposite. It’s hard to know who to believe in this instance, but we’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for more information, so keep it tuned to SlashGear for additional details.

[Image via China Labor Watch]

Foxconn denies reports of worker strike is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Unbox that shiny new iPhone 5 only to find it marred with scratches and blemishes? Good news: Apple is asking Foxconn to adhere to stricter quality demands for its flagship handset. Not so great news: workers at the firm’s Zhengzhou factory are striking over the demands. According to China Labor Watch, three to four thousand workers stepped off the production line to protest the new standards, which only allow for a 0.02mm appearance defect. “It’s tough under such stringent quality requirements,” writes Sina Weibo user and Foxconn employee Yefudao. “A 0.02mm appearance defect is already beyond that of our vision. With such a demanding task, workers’ mental pressure becomes so immense that they have to vent it out.”

China Labor Watch reports that the issue stems not only from the higher quality demands, but the fact that workers are being asked to meet them without receiving the training necessary to do so. The situation hasn’t broken out into a riot, but a dispute between line workers and quality control inspectors reportedly sparked a fight that led to property damage, injury and some hospitalization. Production lines have temporarily been frozen by management while Foxconn deals with the situation.

Filed under: Misc, Apple

Workers at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou factory strike in reaction to new iPhone 5 quality standards originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 01:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just a little over a week after a brawl broke out at one of Foxconn’s factories in China, we’re now getting reports that Foxconn workers have gone on strike due to iPhone 5 quality demands. China Labor Watch is reporting that the strike happened today at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou Factory and involved three to four thousand production workers, most of which were onsite quality control personnel. The result of the strike? CWL says that the strike “paralyzed” production lines.

The report states that workers went on strike for a couple of different reasons. First, they were upset that they didn’t get to take time off during the holidays, but there was also an extreme amount of pressure on them to meet new quality standards that had been put in place at the factory. Management apparently put these new quality control standards in place without providing proper training, so obviously, workers weren’t able to meet the standards for iPhone production. Here’s an excerpt from China Labor Watch’s report:

It was reported that factory management and Apple, despite design defects, raised strict quality demands on workers, including indentations standards of 0.02mm and demands related to scratches on frames and back covers. With such demands, employees could not even turn out iPhones that met the standard. This led to a tremendous amount of pressure on workers. On top of this, they were not permitted to have a vacation during the holiday. This combination of factors led to the strike.

Quality control inspectors also went on strike after a fight broke out between them and the workers. Apparently, the brawl sent a handful of folks to the hospital to be treated for injuries, and despite the fact that these quality control inspectors had been physically threatened in the past and went to higher-ups to report the threats of violence, they were merely ignored by the management at the factory.

Hearing all of this, it’s no wonder that these workers went on strike today. It’s been a high-stakes period for Foxconn, with the iPhone 5 shipping late last month and a short supply that can’t catch up with demand. To have quality standards raised when workers were already having a difficult time keeping up with demand is a recipe for disaster, and it looks as if things came to a head (again) today. We’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for more details on this riot, so keep it tuned here to SlashGear for additional information.

iPhone 5 quality demands reportedly lead to large-scale Foxconn strike is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.