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Apple CEO Tim Cook visits Foxconn iPhone factory on China 'road trip'

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As part of what he calls a "road trip" to China, Apple CEO Tim Cook on Wednesday tweeted out a photo of himself sitting with a Foxconn worker putting the finishing touches on a new iPhone 6 model.

As seen in the photo above, the Apple chief is apparently doing some legwork in China outside of his talks with the country's vice premier, and one of the first stops was Foxconn's iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, where he met with assembly line workers building the latest iPhones.

"Great to meet talented people like Zhang Fan, who helps make iPhone 6 in Zhengzhou," Cook writes. "An early highlight of this trip."

Cook is reportedly scheduled to meet with China's Vice Premier Ma Kai in Zhongnanhai, a government complex in Beijing, to discuss recent targeted attacks on iCloud originating from the country. An activist group called GreatFire.org alleges Chinese government involvement.

As for the Foxconn plant, Zhengzhou is known to be a critical point in Apple's iPhone supply chain. During Apple's quarterly conference call for the three-month period ending in September, Cook said that iPhone 6 demand is far outstripping supply, suggesting that at least one reason for the trip may be to check on production progress.



98 Comments

thewhitefalcon 10 Years · 4444 comments

Probably dropped off a couple pallets of Red Bull to help them build the things faster. :D

droidftw 11 Years · 1009 comments

And people here wonder why Apple gets mentioned when Foxconn makes the news for treating their workers like crap.  Associating yourself with a sweatshop so publicly and without shame does just that.  Are other companies just as guilty as Apple?  Yes.  Do other companies flaunt their use of sweatshop labor in this manner?  No.  This is why news outlets single out Apple when it comes to Foxconn.

rot'napple 17 Years · 1839 comments

Meet some frickin' iPhone 6 plus talent and crack that whip, authorize OT and get them things produced! Been waiting since Sept. 12th! : )

MacPro 18 Years · 19845 comments

[quote name="DroidFTW" url="/t/182997/apple-ceo-tim-cook-visits-foxconn-iphone-factory-on-china-road-trip#post_2625619"]And people here wonder why Apple gets mentioned when Foxconn makes the news for treating their workers like crap.  Associating yourself with a sweatshop so publicly and without shame does just that.  Are other companies just as guilty as Apple?  Yes.  Do other companies flaunt their use of sweatshop labor in this manner?  No.  This is why news outlets single out Apple when it comes to Foxconn. [/quote] Look, I really don't have any personal knowledge on this subject. You seem to, so do you have published papers and research to back up these statements? When was your last tour of one of these factories? You have comparable studies of working conditions and pay in other countries too? I am always eager to learn more so please share your expertise.

MacPro 18 Years · 19845 comments

[quote name="TheWhiteFalcon" url="/t/182997/apple-ceo-tim-cook-visits-foxconn-iphone-factory-on-china-road-trip#post_2625617"]Probably dropped off a couple pallets of Red Bull to help them build the things faster. :D[/quote] That is so politically incorrect on so many levels I had to laugh ... SNL standard. :D