Apple warns of iPhone 14 shipment delays after China COVID lockdown - Euronews

Apple is informing customers they'll person to hold longer to get its latest iPhone 14 models, pursuing a strict COVID-19 lockdown astatine a cardinal mill successful China.

The tech elephantine said the mill operated by Foxconn successful the cardinal metropolis of Zhengzhou is “operating astatine importantly reduced capacity”. It did not springiness details connected the standard of the reduction.

"We proceed to spot beardown request for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models," Apple said successful a statement. "However, we present expect little iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we antecedently anticipated".

Apple, which began selling its iPhone 14 scope successful September, said customers should expect longer waiting times for the devices - but determination again, it did not accidental however agelong the delays would be.

Last week, Chinese authorities imposed a seven-day lockdown of the country astir the Foxconn mill following a surge successful infections successful Zhengzhou and the departure of workers from the plant.

The factory, which employs astir 200,000 people, has been rocked by discontent implicit stringent measures to curb the dispersed of COVID-19, with galore workers fleeing the site.

China connected Monday reported its highest fig of caller COVID-19 infections successful six months, with disruption to the world's second-largest system spreading nationwide since October. 

At the weekend, wellness officials said they would instrumentality with strict coronavirus curbs, disappointing investors hoping for an easing of the government's zero-COVID policy.

Meanwhile, Apple expects to nutrient astatine slightest 3 cardinal less iPhone 14 handsets this twelvemonth than planned owed to anemic request for lower-end models, Bloomberg News reported connected Monday, citing radical acquainted with the plan.

Foxconn tries to enlistee workers

Taiwan's Foxconn is the world's largest declaration electronics shaper and Apple's biggest iPhone maker, accounting for 70 per cent of shipments globally. 

It has iPhone accumulation sites successful India and confederate China, but its biggest is successful the metropolis of Zhengzhou successful the eastbound Chinese state of Henan.

On Monday, it said it was moving to resume afloat accumulation astatine Zhengzhou arsenic soon arsenic possible. A idiosyncratic acquainted with the substance told Reuters that the people is by the 2nd fractional of November.

At the petition of the section government, Foxconn said it would instrumentality measures to curb the dispersed of COVID-19, including restricting worker question to betwixt their dormitory and mill area.

The shaper has besides begun a recruitment drive, offering workers who near the works from Oct. 10 to Nov. 5 a one-off bonus of 500 yuan (€69) if they returned. It besides advertised salaries of 30 yuan (€4.15) an hour, higher than the 17-23 yuan (€2.35-€3.18) basal salaries that immoderate workers told Reuters they received.

Foxconn said the provincial authorities "has made it wide that it will, arsenic always, afloat enactment Foxconn".

"Foxconn is present moving with the authorities successful a concerted effort to stamp retired the pandemic and resume accumulation to its afloat capableness arsenic rapidly arsenic possible," it said.