Foxconn and Pegatron Begin Hiring Process Early to Prepare for 'More Complex' Build of iPhone 7

Recruitment at two of Apple's supplier factories has kicked off earlier than expected this year, with a report from Economic Daily News stating that both suppliers are getting a head start on the iPhone 7's assembly.

The new smartphone is referred to as "more complex than previous models," leading to Foxconn and Pegatron's preemptive hiring and manufacturing schedule this year (via CNBC).

Specifically, on Foxconn's website a hiring page reads, "Foxconn Zhengzhou is hiring a large number of ordinary workers. Welcome to join Foxconn: Age between 18-40. Overall monthly salary: 3,800 renminbi. Start working immediately." Applicants are encouraged to apply promptly for the positions, with language suggesting that they might have trouble connecting with Foxconn's job hotline because of the massive amount of people applying.

Due to the posting's suggestion that the iPhone 7's design is more complex than previous generations, Apple's suppliers began the hiring process about a month earlier than they have in previous years. The early start is said to buy the two companies extra time to train the new assembling staff on the intensive build of the iPhone 7. It was the first time in two years that Foxconn began recruitment processes for the assembly of a new iPhone as early as May.

Of course, no specifics were given to explain what exactly is "more complex" about the iPhone 7 this year. Recent rumors point to 2016's iPhone 7 as having a design largely similar to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, with the probable removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack and potential introduction of a Smart Connector, although a recent rumor from Japanese site Mac Otakara contradicted reports on the latter.

Such an upgrade to this year's iPhone would set Apple up for a 2017 mega-cycle iteration on the "iPhone 8" with a new form factor potentially encompassing an edge-to-edge display and integrated Touch ID sans Home Button. But that still leaves confusion over the complexity of this year's model, although it might lie in the introduction of a dual-lens camera system, reportedly exclusive to the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus that will pack 3GB of RAM to help run the image processing of the new camera.

Top Rated Comments

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SSD-GUY

44 months ago

Complex because we might get another shade of pink?

Rating: 21 Votes

MH01

44 months ago

Complex cause the workers have never had to work on the same design three years running , cultural shift.

Rating: 15 Votes

bodonnell202

44 months ago

More complex to assemble so if this is true my guess is that it points to a water and dust proof design.

Rating: 13 Votes

justperry

44 months ago

3,800 renminbi = $580 (USD) per month. Atrocious wages for people working up to and more than 60 hours a week. Even with all things considered with cost of living, these Apple offshore factory workers are getting a completely raw deal. In addition to a jam session with Garage Band, maybe Tim brought a suitcase of bonus compensatory payments as a thank you to staff for gruelling work conditions?
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=China&country2=United+States
http://www.chinalaborwatch.org

I am not even reading those links, reason, it's bollocks.
I've been around on this world and believe me there are plenty of places in this world where people make $ 30 a month.
I am pretty sure that working as a farmer in China far away from the big cities won't earn you more than $50 a month or less, those people can make a lot more than staying at home.
Half of my time I live in Indonesia and wages for most people are less than $100, especially those working on the land as rice farmers, most even don't own any land, it's even hard for them to buy new seeds or fertilizer, for many of the younger generation it is a godsend to get a decent job in a factory in the big city, this way they can support their families.

And then there is this, do you want to pay even more or a lot more for your iPhone or Mac, I guess not.
Don't pretend to make the world a better place, because you can't.

Better get the suicide nets ready.

Most of them are happy to get such a job, you see that in the numbers of people showing up.

Rating: 10 Votes

iThingsGurl

44 months ago

OMG they just figured out a way to include Watch Bands into the iPhone! New bands incoming.

Rating: 9 Votes

LordQ

44 months ago

Complex because a protruding pill demands more resources than a protruding ring.

Rating: 9 Votes

2457282

44 months ago

It would be really nice to find out that Apple has a surprise in store for us. I really don't mind the form factor, so they can keep that for years on end as far as i am concerned, but so far I have not heard of any new gotta have features. At least I still don't gotta have dual lenses on my phone. And I certainly don't gotta have a missing headphone jack.

Rating: 8 Votes

Michael Scrip

44 months ago

People are lured with the false belief that working in and offshore Apple factory is just swell. But with the turn over of staff, clearly it isn't a good experience. Get a sample of the experiences at www.chinalaborwatch.org ('http://www.chinalaborwatch.org')
But seems you're convinced already it sounds like a good place to work, you suggest? Go try six months. See how it works firsthand and report back here before the year is out.
Thanks.

I said Foxconn looks like a good place to work compared to other places in China.

If people choose to work at Foxconn... and it is indeed terrible and doesn't pay enough... then there obviously isn't anywhere better to work.

Like I said... if there was a better place to work... they'd already be there.

If you hated your job and it didn't pay enough... why would you stay? You'd find a better job.

My earlier question "What's the alternative" was somewhat rhetorical. It sounds like there aren't any better jobs in China.

Besides... it's difficult to make comparisons to US wages.

Rating: 8 Votes

ArtOfWarfare

44 months ago

Have a feeling iPhone 7 will be the worst selling iPhone ever. If rumors are true won't be that many differences from the 6S.

The original iPhone only sold around 6M units in 2007. Apple has sold 222M iPhones over the last year.

It's extremely unlikely that the new iPhone will be the worst selling iPhone. In fact, I'll bet it'll sell better than the 5S, which sold around 210M.

Passing peak iPhone means that Apple sold fewer iPhones than previously. After 9 years of having sales go up and up, sales went down a bit. That doesn't mean they plummeted. If they had announced their current sales numbers last year, nobody would have been concerned at all.

Rating: 6 Votes