Apple Taiwan slashes sales force by 30 percent

Forced Resignations in Taiwan?

Citing sources in Taiwan's distribution channel, DigiTimes, reports that the workforce reduction was due to weaker sales and market share achieved by Apple Taiwan, compared to the performance of the company's Hong Kong branch.

"Kong Yuk-loong, the former managing director of Apple Taiwan, submitted his resignation at the end of June," according to the report. "Since Kong's departure, a number of managers and executives at the branch have resigned as well, including the former head of Apple Taiwan's marketing division, Hsu Guang-qi who now works at Dopod International."

In the wake of the departures, Apple Hong Kong managing director, Simon Hong, has been appointed as the new managing director of the company's Taiwan branch. He'll reportedly perform a dual-role, overseeing both branches for the time being.

Apple has declined to comment on the report.

Foxxconn/Quanta merger?

In some other noteworthy news coming out of the Far East this morning, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News is quoting sources as saying Foxconn Electronics may merge with Quanta Computer.

The paper cited analysts from Europe-based investment banks as indicating that the two companies have been in talks about a merger since March. However, Foxconn and Quanta have both denied the rumors.

Both Foxconn and Quanta are major manufacturing partners of Apple Computer. Quanta has long been synonymous with notebook and iMac production while Foxconn — when not abusing its workforce — has been known to churn out Apple wireless products, desktops and iPod digital music players.