A social media posting by a known Foxconn executive claims that the supply chain for the "iPhone 8" is having difficulty with producing acceptable quantities of the OLED screen for the device, and is claiming a 40 percent defect rate because of custom cuts in the substrate that Apple is demanding for the device.
While Apple CEO Tim Cook didn't explicitly answer a question asking about three Apple plants in the U.S., he did note that there would be more announced "later in the year" about employment opportunities generated by Apple.
Foxconn CEO Terry Gou on Wednesday announced plans to invest $10 billion in an LCD manufacturing plant in Wisconsin, with production slated to go to subsidiary Sharp.
Whether or not Apple products will actually be built there, a new facility from the company's key manufacturing partner, Foxconn, is reportedly in the works for the state of Wisconsin, and set to be announced later this evening.
Following a the presidential decree that Apple stands poised to open a trio of factories in the U.S. very soon, Foxconn has declared that it is not ready to announce any plans at this time until deals are finalized.
Foxconn may announce as soon as this week in Washington D.C. its plans for producing electronics in the U.S. — specifically in Detroit and Wisconsin — though it is unknown whether Apple will play a part.
Four of Apple's manufacturing partners — Hon Hai/Foxconn, Compal, Wistron, and Pegatron — have filed counterclaims against Qualcomm, accusing the chipmaker of violating two sections of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Despite having picked another group as the preferred bidder for its memory business, Toshiba is reportedly talking to two other interested parties as well — Western Digital, and a Foxconn consortium including Apple, Dell, and Kingston.
Extending the saga even further, Western Digital has notified Toshiba's board of directors that it formally opposes Toshiba's sale of its memory division to any group that has ties to its primary competitor SK Hynix — and the favored consortium is relying on funding from it.
Refuting speculation that the deal to buy Toshiba's memory division is effectively done. Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou declared on Friday that he expects that his company still has a '"50 percent chance" of winning.
Apple's main assembly partner, Foxconn, is reportedly planning to invest $10 billion or more across several U.S. states, although the company is still deciding on which ones — including where to put a $7 billion display plant.
Toshiba has chosen a consortium formed by Bain Capital, Mitsubishi, and Japanese government investors as the preferred bidder for its memory chip business, effectively locking out a Foxconn-led consortium including the likes of Apple and Dell.
Sources claim that Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn has set its sights on Wisconsin as a location for its U.S. plant — but governmental sources in the state note that any firm deal is still some time away.
Apple, Dell, and Kingston are currently the three other partners in a Foxconn-led group bidding for Toshiba's memory unit — though still more tech firms may sign on with just days to go, according to Foxconn's chairman.
Apple and Amazon will "chip in funds" towards a Foxconn bid for Toshiba's memory unit, Foxconn chairman Terry Gou revealed on Monday.
Chipmaker Qualcomm on Wednesday leveled a complaint against Foxconn and three other Apple manufacturing partners, accusing them of breaking licensing agreements by not paying due royalties.
China Premier Li Keqiang visited a Foxconn production center, and reportedly told the Apple partner's CEO to set up its "whole industrial chain" in China, rather than expanding further into other countries like the U.S.
Apple's main assembly partner, Foxconn, is indeed planning to make some form of investment in the U.S., but the exact details are yet to be finalized, the latter company's chairman confirmed on Friday.
Terry Gou, chairman of Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn, will reportedly meet with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where the pair are likely to discuss U.S. job creation and a pending bid for Toshiba's chip business.
The state-supported Innovation Network Corp of Japan may pursue a minority stake in Toshiba's memory business, allowing the government to block the sale of a majority stake to businesses deemed risky to national security — including two Apple suppliers, according to a report.
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Mike Wuerthele
Mikey Campbell
Neil Hughes
Roger Fingas
