Plans are being formed to ensure that the iPhones continue being produced at full-scale production rates by February 10, despite the presence of the coronavirus in China:
Foxconn’s Hon Hai, the most important manufacturer for the U.S. company, said Tuesday it still expects to be able to restart facilities throughout China on schedule, according to a text message sent to Bloomberg News. Suppliers such as Quanta Computer Inc., Inventec Corp. and LG Display Co. also said they would go back to work next week in China.
This is especially important given that the vast majority of iPhones are produced in China, at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant as well as at Pegatron’s assembly site near Shanghai. Both sites are more than 500 kilometers from Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.
Despite being ordered to halt “almost all” of its production in China through February 9, Foxconn recently claimed the viral outbreak has had a “fairly small impact” on iPhone production. Foxconn has factories in other countries such as Vietnam, India, and Mexico that have apparently been able to fill the gap.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.