Apple’s primary contract manufacturer Foxconn is reportedly running assembly lines at its largest iPhone factory in China 24 hours a day, cancelling holidays and forcing staff to work overtime as production ramps up ahead of the launch of the iPhone 12.
According to the South China Morning Post, Foxconn is pushing heavily to maximise its production output to compensate for the delays in manufacturing caused by COVID-19, which has resulted in Apple delaying the usual September release of its new iPhone models.
Factory workers at Foxconn’s largest plant are reportedly being given four days off per month and are having pre-booked leave cancelled to have as much staff as possible working the iPhone production lines.
“The factory’s iPhone assembly unit has offered a 10,000 yuan bonus for any worker who started after September 18, stays for at least 90 days and works at least 55 days, according to one recruitment ad. The bonus was 8,500 yuan for people who joined after September 26,” a report claims.
To recap, Apple is expected to release four new iPhone models this fall: a 5.4-inch “iPhone 12 mini” and 6.1-inch “iPhone 12” to replace the current iPhone 11, and a 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch “iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max”.
Rumors point to Apple hosting its “iPhone 12” launch event on October 13, with pre-orders for the 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch “iPhone 12” models beginning later that week. The 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch “iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max” are expected to be available towards the end of October/early November.