Apple may be getting closer to working through its iPhone 14 Pro order backlog.
Production at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou facility has reached 90 percent of its peak capacity, a level that should help Apple meet demand for the iPhone 14 Pro handset.
Long delays of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have long been attributed to COVID-related issues at the Zhengzhou, China factory, the main producer of Pro iPhone models. After months of problems, it seems that the factory is getting close to its usual output levels.
Staffing at the plant has reached around 200,000 workers, which is the typical level for the busy holiday production period. The figure was issued by Foxconn executive Vic Wang, who told the Henan Daily, which was later reported to Bloomberg. The representative added that the plant is also shipping at approximately 90 percent of the peak capacity that was forecast at the start of 2022.
The increased production will help meet orders for iPhone 14 Pro customers who’ve faced weeks of delays between ordering their devices and actually receiving them.
It is thought by analysts that the effects of low production at the factory have impacted shipments considerably, with Q4 shipment totals thought to be down by around 20 million units.
The staffing levels will also be beneficial given the impending Lunar New Year shopping period, which again involves high sales of Apple products to consumers.
Foxconn employed multiple methods of trying to retain its workers during the now-lifted COVID lockdowns as well as the worker riots late last year. The company also offered bonuses to ex-workers to rejoin the company.
Still, there have been reports that some workers who displayed symptoms of being unwell who were encouraged to stay on production lines and to avoid being tested, all in a bid to keep production high.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and Bloomberg