Apple's 'iPhone 6' to start production next week for 4.7-inch, next month for 5.5-inch
July 18, 2014
Mass production of Apple's so-called "iPhone 6" is set to kick off at Foxconn this month.
That's according to a report by local media in Taiwan, where Apple's largest manufacturing parter is headquartered. The report, which was subsequently relayed by Reuters, claims that the 4.7-inch version and the 5.5-inch model of Apple's next-generation smartphone will enter mass production during the third of week of this month (that's next week) and the second week of next month, respectively:
Mass production of a 4.7-inch successor to the wildly popular iPhone 5 series of smartphones will begin during the third week of July, Taiwan's Economic Daily News said, without citing sources. Production of a 5.5-inch version will begin during the second week of August, it said.Reuters also relays a new report by a China state-run news service that Foxconn is planning to hire 100,000 workers to help assemble the iPhone 6. Economic Daily News previously reported last month on Foxconn's planned hiring spree, along with that of Pegatron, another Taiwan-based Apple assembler. Last week, Taiwan's United Daily News reported that Foxconn would be using robots, dubbed "Foxbots," for such repetitive tasks on the production line as tightening lock screws, positioning large exterior components in place, and polishing. In addition to larger screens, both models of the iPhone 6 are expected to feature thinner profiles and Apple's faster A8 processors. Apple is expected to unveil the next-generation smartphone in September, with the 5.5-inch version rumored to be released later than the 4.7-inch version on account of certain production issues. The one-month gap between the two model's production kickoffs could also contribute to the delay.
