Foxconn Protests May Mean 6 Million Fewer iPhone Pros For Apple This Year – SlashGear

While the rest of the world has made big efforts to curb the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across China. This is partly due to China’s strict lockdown policies in the past that have prevented people from getting booster shots, while also preventing the population from achieving herd immunity (via DW). Despite the adverse effects of the Zero-COVID policy, China seems to be in no mood to relent and relax the terms of this controversial policy. This, unfortunately, means even more uncertainty for Apple and its manufacturing partners, whose overdependence on China is now coming to bite it back.

While Apple and Foxconn may have quelled the protests at their factories, it could be a while before their plants resume production at full capacity. Over the weekend, there have been reports of more widespread nationwide protests (via CNN) in opposition to China’s Zero-COVID policy. It is unclear at this time if these wider protests would affect the production of iPhones. While the current shortfall is pegged at 6 million units, this number could change in the weeks to follow — if the company could find enough workers to ramp up production at the Zhengzhou factory, Bloomberg reports. Following last week’s protests, Foxconn is reported to have paid each affected worker more than 10,000 yuan ($1400) to quit their jobs and leave the Zhengzhou factory premises.

While things may have temporarily calmed down at Zhengzhou, the recent spate of incidents is likely to accelerate Apple’s efforts to ramp up production facilities in countries outside of China. As reported earlier this month, Apple is increasingly considering India as a secondary iPhone manufacturing hub.