Photo via MIC GadgetBeyond the obvious human toll of last week's Foxconn factory explosion, there's been speculation about how the incident may affect Apple's iPad 2 production.
Some analysts have already suggested that the production impact should be minimal, but now China Times is reporting more definitively that the iPad would not be affected based on comments from Foxconn to suppliers.
Sources said the explosion at Foxconn Technology Group’s Chengdu plant did not affect the assembly line of iPad. Foxconn assured major suppliers at an online meeting yesterday that under the principle of “orders placed and goods delivered as usual”, the production of iPad 2 would not be delayed and related iPhone devices and new iPad products would still be in mass production in the third quarter.
"Related iPhone devices and new iPad products" appears to be sufficiently vague, but Apple, of course, is expected to launch a new iPhone around September this year which is likely to be manufactured by Foxconn.
The explosion which rocked Foxconn's factory on Friday night killed 3 people and left 15 injured. Apple has issued a statement expressing their condolences to the victims and family and that they are investigating the event.
Top Rated Comments
and most customers have no idea whatsoever that some plant in China "exploded" or what the heck "Foxconn" is
Yeah, lets not worry about people having thier lives potentially at risk, as long as the *******s get thier Ipads ASAP!
Hey good news! I do not know you! Enjoy the delay!
The plant is the size of a city. tens of thousands of people work there. It may likely be this explosion was in a store room where they keep paint Likely not even near where Apple products are made.
And also the Shenzhen factories are the main iPad 2 factories.
You seem to be under the assumption that Foxconn only has one plant, and that that one plant only makes ipad 2s.
For scale, it looks like Foxconn had nearly 1 million employees in 2010.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn
arn
1)drop Foxconn's stock
2)drop Apple's stock
3)cast doubts (inside Apple and other customers) on why Foxconn doesn't have a backup plan
It would be nice (for Foxconn) if production will not be affected but it seems crazy to think so...an explosion that kills 3 and injures dozens?...that's at least going to shut the plant down for days (weeks?) as investigations happen...then they have to rebuild the plant.