Apple’s manufacturing partners have reportedly begun assembling the iPhone 5 according to a new report from Macotakara, which has a mixed track record. The report follows news from this morning that German Apple carrier partner Deutsche Telekom has already begun pre-sales of the next-generation Apple smartphone. Foxconn, which will supposedly handle roughly 85% of iPhone 5 production, and Pegatron, which has picked up a contract for the remaining 15%, are said to have ramped up assembly ahead of Apple’s official announcement of the device, which is expected as soon as next week. Citing information from an anonymous source, the report also notes that finished devices are not yet being packaged, as the release build of iOS 5 has not yet been finalized.

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Amazon’s second tablet, initially thought to be scheduled for a late 2011 or early 2012 launch, may not begin shipping to users until after the first quarter next year. According to a report from DigiTimes on Wednesday, Amazon will use manufacturing giant Foxconn to assemble its 10-inch tablets, and mass production is not set to begin until some time in the first quarter of 2012. Depending on when production ramps up, this likely means the tablet will not be released until the second quarter at the earliest. BGR exclusively reported back in May that Amazon was developing a flagship “Hollywood” tablet powered by NVIDIA’s upcoming quad-core Kal-El chipset alongside its 7-inch “Coyote” slate. Amazon will reportedly unveil the dual-core Coyote later this fall.

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Foxconn and Quanta Computer, two companies that manufacture Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad, have suggested that there will be “minimal” impact on supply orders following news that Steve Jobs will no longer serve as Apple’s CEO. Reportedly, Tim Cook, who has replaced Jobs as CEO, was already working closely with the manufacturing process while Steve Jobs was out on leave. DigiTimes said that the move could affect Apple’s global brand recognition and the company’s innovation and creativity, although it will certainly take some time to see just how true those claims are. On Thursday, a number of analysts speculated that Jobs’s departure could benefit Apple’s iPhone and iPad competitors.

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Tablets and smartphones might rule the present, but if you ask the folks at WIMM Labs, the future of data consumption is a one-inch by one-inch square. The Palo Alto startup just revealed its new, wearable computing platform, developed, in part, through a partnership with Foxconn, that it hopes will change the way we look at computers. Currently known as the WIMM wearable platform, this new modular device packs a full-color 160 x 160 touchscreen, WiFi and Blutetooth connectivity, an accelerometer and magnetometer, and runs on good old Android. What's more, it's waterproof. Basically, it's a tiny, multifunctional computer, packed with "micro apps" that can make it anything from a smart watch to a health monitor, from a mobile payment device to an all-in-one remote. As of now, the company doesn't have plans to market it direct to consumers, but says it has a few partnerships in the works that could bring a WIMM-powered something to market by year's end; a developer kit will go on sale in the next few weeks for an undisclosed price. If you're itching to ditch that tired old diamond-encrusted nano watch, check out the galleries below and hop on past the break for our first impressions, video, and full PR.

Continue reading WIMM Labs introduces tiny wearable computer platform, we go hands-on

WIMM Labs introduces tiny wearable computer platform, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hon Hai-owned manufacturing giant Foxconn intends to release a portion of its workforce in favor of 1 million new robot workers according to a new report. Xinhua News Agency said on Friday that Hon Hai chairman and founder Terry Gou confirmed the news, seemingly in callous fashion at an employee dance party. The new robots will be used to perform “simple and routine work” such as part assembly and welding. Foxconn currently employs approximately 1.2 million people and also utilizes 10,000 robots. According to the chairman’s reported comments, the number of robot workers will increase to 300,000 next year and 1 million in three years. It is unclear how much of Foxconn’s current workforce will be let go following the introduction of these new robots. Foxconn’s treatment of its workforce has garnered a great amount of attention following a string of employee suicides.

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Foxconn will build Amazon’s rumored 10.1-inch tablet, DigiTimes reported on Thursday. The Android tablet is expected to ship in 2012 according to the report, but Amazon may want to get the device out the door a bit earlier in order to to have it on store shelves in time for the holiday season. A smaller 7-inch version that was built by Quanta computer is already on its way to Amazon and, while other reports suggested it is a 9-inch tablet, that is likely the model we have heard will launch in late August or September. We broke the news that Amazon will launch a “Coyote” tablet that packs a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra processor, as well as a larger “Hollywood” tablet powered by the new quad-core Kal-El chip. Since Kal-El devices aren’t shipping to consumers yet, it could be a safe bet to guess that Quanta Computer built the Coyote tablet while Foxconn has scored the order for the more powerful Hollywood device.

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Foxconn will be the only manufacturer to build the iPad this year, DigiTimes reported on Wednesday. There were reports earlier this week that suggested Apple had been in talks with either Pegatron or Quanta Computer as a second manufacturer in order to create enough units for the launch of a new model in September. However, Foxconn reportedly caught word of Apple’s discussions with other manufacturing outlets and was able to convince the Cupertino-based company to stick with one manufacturer… for now. Apple is expected to launch a new iPad with a higher resolution screen in September. According to rumors swirling around analyst circles and in the media, the new tablet will be dubbed the “iPad HD,” “iPad Pro,” or the “iPad 2 Plus.”

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An explosion at Foxconn’s iPad manufacturing plant in Chengdu, China last month had a negative impact on the company’s business in May despite initial assurances to the contrary. Foxconn’s revenue last month dipped 2.14% sequentially to NT$200.56 billion, or approximately US$6.95 billion, following production halts tied to the fatal explosion that killed three workers and injured at least 15 more. The tragic accident, caused by the ignition of flammable aluminum dust in a parts polishing workshop, is thought to have cut iPad 2 production by as many as 500,000 units. Foxconn’s revenue in May was still up 23% compared to the same month last year.

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An explosion rocked the Foxconn plant in Chengdu, China last night, killing 2 people and injuring 16 others. Both Apple and Foxconn have issued statements on the tragedy, but how the explosion will affect iPad production is unknown. More »

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd.-owned Foxconn is considering spending up to $12 billion on new facilities in Brazil that would help the electronics manufacturer’s clients avoid high import taxes on devices shipped to key markets from China and Taiwan. The move would also potentially help the manufacturer avoid some of its rising labor costs in China. The Brazilian government says it is currently studying Foxconn’s plans, and the country’s President Dilma Rousseff is overseas discussing this and other matters with Chinese President Hu Jintao. “You’ve got an ample range of investments that go from $300 to $400 million to $12 billion over 5 to 6 years in the case of Foxconn,” Rousseff told Reuters. “They’re proposing a partnership. They came to us and said we want to invest in Brazil.” Foxconn could start building devices like Apple’s iPad in Brazil by the end of November according to Aloizio Mercadente, Brazil’s science and technology minister.

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We should've known this was coming when Microsoft went after Motorola for Moto's supposedly patent-infringing Android devices, and now Ballmer & Co. have their sights set on Barnes & Noble, Foxconn, and Inventec for making and selling the Nook Color. Once again, Microsoft has filed in both the ITC and the Western District of Washington Federal Court claiming that the Android OS infringes its patents, though the patents at issue have dwindled in number from nine to five this time around. Allegedly, the Nook Color is riddled with infringing bits from its tab-using web browser and web-document viewing capability to its text selection and book annotation features. Microsoft has resorted to litigation as a new means to get paid for its patents after year-long licensing negotiations with B&N bore little fruit (unlike those with HTC, who got with the licensing program). So count this as another clear message to manufacturers -- Android's open-source, but it ain't free.

Continue reading Same song, second verse: Microsoft sues Barnes & Noble for Android's patent infringement

Same song, second verse: Microsoft sues Barnes & Noble for Android's patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite ballooning revenues and a record of kick-ass quarterly reports, Apple’s stock has been downgraded from “market outperform” to “market perform” by JMP Securities. The firm said that it made the choice based on the “notable deceleration in [Apple's] primary manufacturing partner Hon Hai (Foxconn) that was emerging even prior to the amplified uncertainty created by developments in Japan.” JMP Securities suggested that Hon Hai’s sales decelerated from 84% year on year in December to 37% in January — then decelerated yet again to 26% in February. As a result, JMP Securities is also dropping its Q2 2011 revenues estimates from $23 billion to $22 billion.

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Verizon Wireless hasn’t even launched its iPhone 4 yet and rumored production numbers are already getting a rumored bump thanks to rumored strong demand. According to a new report from industry watcher DigiTimes, iPhone manufacturer Pegatron is ramping up CDMA iPhone production following a revised order from Apple. Apple is thought to have initially requested approximately 10 million CDMA iPhones from the company, but new deals in various regions may have caused Apple to increase its order. Now, according to channel checks, Pegatron will ship between 12 and 15 million CDMA iPhone units this year. Verizon Wireless is the only carrier known to be getting the CDMA version of Apple’s iPhone 4 at this point, and Foxconn is said to be building devices for the U.S. market — which would mean Pegatron’s upped production is the result of increased international demand. Total CDMA iPhone production between Foxconn and Pegatron is now thought to be between 27 and 30 million units.

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French Journalist Jordan Pouille recently visited the Foxconn campus in Shenzhen and returned home with a series of photos and video that highlight the conditions and morale at the notorious plant. Foxconn, which manufactures gadgets for a variety of major electronics companies including Apple, HP, Nokia, Sony and Palm, has been scrutinized over the past year following a string of worker suicides and allegations of exploitative and abusive practices among management. Pouille details the scene at the Foxconn factory, and speaks to workers who describe the conditions as being similar to a labor camp.

At the production line, none of them could speak or even look at each other while trying to achieve the christmas production targets. They had to leave their mobile at the entry. However, their managers tried not to insult them, after all the bad publicity they got last spring when the 13 Foxconn suicides hit the headlines. A big improvement has been made after 30 glorious years of economic reforms: more workers are now allowed to sit down (depending on the good will of their managers) while working.

Hit the break for a video and visit the read link for a first-hand account of the conditions at Foxconn.

[Via Business Insider]

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The source is DigiTimes so take this rumor for what you will. Nevertheless, the Taiwanese tattle house is citing sources at local component makers claiming that Foxconn has been notified that it must ship Apple's "iPad 2" within the next 100 days or as early as the end of February. DigiTimes says that Apple's plan to start mass production in January had to be pushed because of ongoing firmware testing. Note that this doesn't mean that the second generation iPad will ship to consumers in February since Apple would be stockpiling units ahead of a global launch in April, according to DigiTimes. The original iPad was announced in January and began US shipments in April before starting its relentless global march in May.

iPad 2 begins shipping from Foxconn in February for April launch? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 01:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foxconn finds itself in more hot water Wednesday as new reports emerge concerning working conditions at a factory operated by sister company Foxteq. Workers at the packing plant, located in Rydalmere, Australia, have come forward with allegations of exploitation and poor working conditions. Some went as far as to describe conditions at the plant as “depression-era,” with employees required to work long hours and no guarantee that they would be asked to return the next day. Foxteq performs packing services for HP, IBM and other large companies, and is currently being investigated by several of its clients as a result of the accusations. Sister company Foxconn, which manufactures electronics for giants like Apple and HP, fell under the microscope earlier this year when a string of employee suicides took place on the company’s campus. The suicides were blamed on poor working conditions and low wages.

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Bloomberg Businessweek has just dropped an incredibly up-close look at controversial Chinese electronics supplier Foxconn and its founder, Terry Gou. It's the most thorough look to date at one of the most powerful—and intriguing—manufacturers in the world. More »