Apple Suppliers Struggling to Hire Enough Workers Ahead of iPhone 13 Launch

Apple suppliers manufacturing the iPhone 13 models are struggling to hire enough workers ahead of the expected launch of new devices in September, according to the South China Morning Post.

iphone 13 blue with text
In an attempt to attract workers to meet demand for the ‌iPhone 13‌ lineup, Apple suppliers in China are significantly raising their starter bonuses. Foxconn's factory in Zhengzhou, which is estimated to manufacture around 80 percent of the world's iPhones, has raised its new hires bonus to a record high of 10,200 yuan (U.S. $1,578).

Likewise, Lens Technology has doubled its bonus 5,000 yuan in February to 10,000 yuan in May, while Luxshare Precision's factory in Guangdong has doubled its internal referral bonus from 2,500 yuan in April to 5,000 yuan in May, with a top-up bonus of 3,800 yuan for returning workers who previously left the company.

Over the past three years, Apple has added more new suppliers from mainland China to its vendor list than any other country, but simultaneously the growth of China's labor force has peaked as factory jobs have started to lose their appeal and more workers move out of industrial labor, leading to companies having to lure in workers with more attractive pay packages.

The current aggressive hiring spree seeks to combat increasingly ramped-up production for the ‌iPhone 13‌ models, which are believed to be on track for launch late next month.

Related Roundup: iPhone 13
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...

Top Rated Comments

Frixos Avatar
39 months ago
It’d be wise to spread the supply chain to other countries. It’s not smart to be so dependent on one country.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ElectricPotato Avatar
39 months ago


...raised its new hires bonus to a record high of 10,200 yuan (U.S. $1,578).
The cost of one high end iPhone.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
39 months ago

I guess too many of them jumped off the dormitories. Just remember that the next time you tweet from your iPhone to virtue signal for social brownie points.
Nice fear mongering. You must have reported numbers of workers over the last year to share.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
39 months ago

Tim Cook does not control what suppliers pay their employees.
Yes, he does.

Apple controls what they pay their suppliers and contract manufacturers who in turn pay their employees. If Apple paid them better, they would be able to pay their employees better. But Apple likes to squeeze them to maintain their profits.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-apple-foxconn/apple-foxconn-pledge-to-revamp-worker-conditions-idUKBRE82S19820120329

In a landmark development for the way Western companies do business in China, Apple Inc said on Thursday it had agreed to work with partner Foxconn to tackle wage and working condition violations at the factories that produce its popular products.


It's not as if Apple hasn't done anything in the past to improve wages or work conditions

https://apnews.com/article/a9b3158ff7ac44ebb8469108d8fbe6fc

Foxconn Technology’s promise comes as Beijing is pushing foreign companies to share more of their revenues with Chinese employees. It follows a report by a labor auditor hired by Apple Inc. that found Foxconn was regularly violating legal limits on overtime, with factory employees working more than 60 hours per week.

Foxconn, owned by Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., promised to limit hours while keeping total pay the same, effectively paying more per hour.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sir_Macs_A_Lot Avatar
39 months ago

Apple iPhone slave factories are covid super spreaders!!
I needs me that new iPhone 13...whether they cough on it or not!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
andrewxgx Avatar
39 months ago
Say goodbye to 999$ base price for iPhone Pro
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)