Production

Apple Watch manufacturer reportedly solves production hiccups

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 15, 2015

Quanta Computer, which assembles the Apple Watch, has been plagued with poor yield rates resulting in capacity problems that have led to limited shipments of the device. As a result, Apple has been struggling to meet orders and has been unable to roll out the device to additional markets to this date.

But production woes are now a thing of the past as Quanta vice chairman CC Leung confirmed solving production bottlenecks, according to a report Friday by DigiTimes, a somewhat reliable Taiwanese trade publication.

Apple to expand key Irish operation as demand for products grows

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 11, 2015

Apple is considering a major expansion of its key Irish operation just months after completing a massive €300 million (about $335 million) development in the country, according to Independent.ie Monday.

Already employing more than 4,000 people in Ireland and its Cork plant in Hollyhill, the latest expansion should deliver a multi-million euro boost to the move.

WSJ: slow Apple Watch rollout due to faulty Taptic Engine

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Faulty Taptic Engines may be behind the extremely limited availability of the Apple Watch, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the publication says that after mass production of the Engines began in February, quality testing found some of them to be unreliable.

The component, which Apple uses in its Watch to produce the sensation of being tapped on the wrist, is made by two suppliers: AAC Technologies Holdings Inc. and Nidec Corp. Apparently some of AAC's Taptic Engines were found to break down overtime, so Apple has moved a majority of its production over to Nidec.

Apple yet again rumored to switch to power-friendlier IGZO screens for next-gen iPads

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

Boy, is LG Display on a roll today. Not only has the company's website inadvertently pre-announced a supposedly upcoming iMac refresh featuring an 8K resolution Retina screen, but a well-informed LG Display related official ostensibly said Apple is also “creating iPads with a 12-inch display,” based on a very power-efficient oxide LCD screen technology, Taiwanese publication ETNews reported Monday.

Oxide LCD, also known as IGZO, requires a fraction of power compared to LCD IPS screens on current iPads, while rendering more vibrant colors and deeper blacks with quick response times and high color saturation.

Apple Watch manufacturer experiencing extremely low defect-free rate

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

Taiwan-based Quanta Computer, the principal Apple Watch manufacturer, is experiencing what could only be described as extremely low defect-free rate of less than thirty percent as it continues to struggle with low yield issues.

And in order to help solve purported manufacturing issues, Quanta has enlisted help of three-thousand workers from Foxconn to improve the yield rate, according to G for Games Thursday citing Taiwanese media.

Claimed iPad Pro manufacturing mold shown in leaked photo

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 8, 2015

A photograph of a manufacturing mold for the rear shell of an ‘iPad Pro’ was posted Thursday to China's Weibo microblogging service, indicating that Apple's ostensibly larger iPad model could be entering mass production pretty soon.

As first reported by MacRumors, it wasn't immediately clear whether the supposed mold is for an actual iPad Pro shell or for a dummy unit which was posted online back in May 2014.

Wait, TSMC to remain Apple’s key supplier for upcoming A9 chip – not Samsung

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will remain the major supplier for Apple's upcoming 14-nanometre A9 processor, reports Taipei Times, contrary to previous reports.

Tim Cook ‘deeply offended’ by BBC’s allegations of factory worker mistreatment

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 19, 2014

An undercover documentary released yesterday by the BBC about working conditions in Pegatron's iPhone factories has reportedly sent CEO Tim Cook and the rest of Apple's executive team through the roof, The Telegraph reported Friday.

BBC's investigative report makes fresh allegations about continued poor working conditions at the iPhone manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Shanghai. The documentary's found poor treatment of workers after Apple's stated several times that it’s cleaned up its act.

The full video of the BBC documentary surfaced on YouTube this morning though it's probably going to get taken down soon so we've embedded it for your viewing pleasure.

Foxconn’s upcoming $2.6 billion plant rumored to produce iPhone sapphire screens

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 10, 2017

Its deal with GT Advanced Technology — which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after failing to ramp up sapphire production in time for the iPhone 6 launch — has collapsed but Apple isn't giving up on the precious gemstone entirely yet.

A report Wednesday by Focus Taiwan alleged that Foxconn's upcoming $2.6 billion facility in central China will be churning out screens for Apple's mobile devices that use synthetic sapphire crystals for increased durability and protection.

Apple said to discontinue iPhone 5c in 2015

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 26, 2014

According to the latest supply chain chatter, Apple may discontinue its unapologetically plastic handset, the iPhone 5c, by the summer of next year.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Taiwan's Industrial and Commercial Times said Wednesday that the Cupertino firm will be phasing out the iPhone 5c around mid-2015, ostensibly because the company is pleased with high demand for the latest 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 smartphones.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently made a similar suggestion, estimating Apple would wind down production of both the iPhone 5c and 4s in 2015 after promotional plans.

Foxconn building $2.9 billion plant to churn out displays exclusively for Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 20, 2014

Foxconn, the world's top contract manufacturer and Apple's favorite gadget assembly shop, is planning on burning NT$80 billion, or approximately $2.6 billion, on a brand new manufacturing facility in Taiwan that will produce displays exclusively for Apple, Bloomberg reported Thursday morning.

The plant will employ more than two-thousand workers and is being built after “an urgent request for exclusive capacity” from Apple, indicating that the iPhone maker is anticipating growing demand for its devices in the coming years.

Apple keeping Arizona plant despite GT Advanced bankruptcy

Cody Lee ∙ November 18, 2014

Apple plans to keep the sapphire production factory it built with GT Advanced in Mesa, Arizona, according to a report from Bloomberg. The outlet says the company has told officials that it's committed to bringing jobs and manufacturing to the area, despite GT's bankruptcy.

"They’ve indicated their commitment to us: They want to repurpose that building and use it again," Mesa City Manager Christopher Brady told Bloomberg. "Apple is focused on preserving jobs and promised to “work with state and local officials as we consider our next steps."