Foxconn to expand iPhone production facility, set to become world’s largest

By Trevor Mogg December 26, 2011

With Apple’s iPhone recently coming to market in 21 more countries and the likely launch of a new smartphone model from the Cupertino company in 2012, it may come as little surprise that Apple supplier Foxconn is planning to expand its Zhengzhou production facility in China, a move that will make it the biggest smartphone manufacturing plant in the world.

A China Daily report (via Apple Insider) says Foxconn will double the size of its factory, situated in central China’s Henan province, at a cost of just over $1 billion.

The expansion will see Foxconn increase the number of production lines at the facility to 95, with the aim of bringing in $20 billion in sales revenue in 2012.

Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant currently employs 130,000 people who help to produce 200,000 iPhones a day. Foxconn is currently the world’s biggest electronics manufacturer, employing just over a million people, mostly in China. The company makes products for a number of companies besides Apple, including Hewlett-Packard, Sony, Dell, Nintendo and Microsoft.

Recent reports have indicated that Apple’s iPhone is losing market share in some parts of the world, namely continental Europe. However, it continues to sell well in, for example, the US, UK and Australia.

While the slow down in sales can be largely attributed to consumers opting for cheaper devices during what is a challenging economic period, there are probably a fair few who are holding off purchasing an iPhone 4S in the hope that Apple will launch a new iPhone 5 device in early 2012, possibly with a larger screen among other design improvements. Foxconn, whose new factory will be up and running some time next year, will certainly be hoping the next iteration of Apple’s popular smartphone proves a big hit with consumers.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Mobile

I lost my iPhone on a dream vacation — and it wasn’t a nightmare

Photo of Spain.

Our trip to Spain and Morocco, which my wife, Julie, had meticulously planned for 15 months, started off rather inauspiciously on June 25. After arriving in Chicago from Portland, Oregon, we learned that our connecting flight to Newark, New Jersey, had been canceled due to weather concerns. As we waited in line for two-and-a-half hours to talk to a United Airlines agent, we were told via text by a customer service rep that we might be stuck in the Windy City for two days.

A 30-year Spanish teacher, Julie was on the verge of fulfilling a lifelong dream of visiting Spain. Now, several activities were in danger of being erased from her bucket list as her worst fears about the trip were being realized. When we finally made it to the service desk, our hope was all but snuffed out. We explained the situation to the agent, who spent several minutes looking at his computer wordlessly. He eventually looked up and said: "I can you get out on a flight tonight."

Mobile

How to fast charge your iPhone

iPhone 12 Mini with charger

While they may not be some of the longest-lasting smartphones on the market, modern iPhones boast more than respectable battery life that should be able to get you through an entire day's use without breaking too much of a sweat. Of course, that assumes a lot of things — including a battery that's still relatively new and in good health, plus a usage pattern that doesn't include all-day streaming or gaming.

If you fall into either (or both) of these categories, then overnight charging isn't going to cut it, and you'll want to get your battery topped up again as quickly as you can so you can get back on the road. Thankfully, every iPhone released in the past six years supports much faster charging, but the downside is that with very few exceptions, Apple has never supplied you with the right adapter to get the best possible charging speeds from your iPhone.

Mobile

These are the only 2 reasons I’m excited for the iPhone 15 Pro

The App Library on the iPhone 14 Pro.

It’s peak summer right now, though fall is just around the corner with back-to-school season on the horizon. With that also comes Apple’s annual iPhone event.

This year, we are definitely expecting the iPhone 15 lineup, as well as Apple Watch Series 9, and maybe a new Apple Watch Ultra. The rumors for the iPhone 15 series have been going strong for months, though there has also been a lot of back-and-forth too, mostly relating to the iPhone 15 Pro models.