Foxconn recruiter says next-gen iPhone arriving in June - rumor
A Japanese-language TV program has recorded a Foxconn recruiter in Taiyuan, China as saying that Apple will release its next-generation iPhone in June.
TV Tokyo's "World Business Satellite" (WBS) show broadcast a report () on Monday that included footage of a personnel recruitment office for Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn, as noted by Macotakara.
In one recorded scene, a woman asked a Foxconn recruiter how many people the factory is looking to hire.
"We're looking for 18,000 employees…for the fifth-generation phone," he said.
"Is that because demand is high for the 'iPhone 5?'" she asked.
"That's right. It will come out in June."
Though the iPhone 4S is Apple's actual fifth-generation iPhone, Chinese pundits have continued to refer to the upcoming sixth-generation handset as the "iPhone 5."
According to the report, Foxconn already employs 80,000 workers at its Taiyuan plant. The manufacturer has long been Apple's principal partner for producing the iPhone. Just last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited an iPhone production line at a Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, China.
Foxconn made headlines last week when it announced that it was buying a 10 percent share of Japanese LCD maker Sharp. The deal prompted Monday's report from WBS, as the reporter was investigating struggles within the Japanese LCD panel industry and efforts by Korean and Taiwanese companies gain share as a result.
It should be noted that the June date allegedly provided by a Foxconn recruitment officer remains highly questionable. For instance, it's unclear how a low-level employee within the company would already know Apple's release schedule when the iPhone maker is notorious for its high level of secrecy.
The rumor also conflicts with multiple other reports that have suggested Apple's sixth-generation iPhone will arrive in September or October of this year. One recent unverified report claimed an LTE-capable iPhone is likely to show up in October.
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"Is that because demand is high for the 'iPhone 5?'" she asked.
"That's right. It will come out in June."
The rumor also conflicts with multiple other reports that have suggested Apple's sixth-generation iPhone will arrive in September or October of this year.
Apple won't release the next iPhone less than a year after the iPhone 4S. Almost all of the "reports" are people stating the obvious. Next iPad is supposed to launch a year after the new one. Next iPhone is too. Let's not call these "reports" because they're just people saying something that's almost certainly true and taking advantage of the anonymity given to them (they won't be embarrassed if they put the blame on "industry sources".
Ok, back on topic
Am I in a different universe? Or is Apple's next iPhone going to be the SIXTH GENERATION version? The fifth gen is already out, and it's called the iPhone 4S. This guy is only talking about an increase in production for the 4S, most likely related to an expected surge in sales thanks to Apple opening the device up to more Chinese carriers.
Mm, that struck me as odd as well.
Even if it's just a mistake and this does refer to the iPhone (2012), I'm still skeptical Apple would release it in June. First, the iPhone 4S will be barely 8 months old at that time. Second, it would likely mean an unveiling at WWDC, but I feel like Apple will want to focus on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and accompanying new Macs at WWDC. Maybe a look at iOS 6 in preview form, but an iPhone release seems like it would be a big distraction from the release of Mountain Lion.
Perhaps the "June" reference was mistranslated or something? Maybe production comes online in June to stockpile a them for a September/October launch?
18,000 people is a lot to come by in short order. Surely it would take at least until June to pull that off, even in China?
As if some low level recruiter would know Apple's top secrets. Such nonsense. It will launch when it launches, as always.
Some blogger posts their opinion and it gets mistranslated as insider fact.
If iOS 6 beta is released to developers sometime in April, I would say that this rumor is true. If no iOS 6 developer preview until WWDC, then next iPhone in September/October.
Ditto. If there isn't an announcement for the iOS 6 SDK event in the next week or two, there will not be a new iPhone until the Fall. And honestly, because of the number of LTE networks Apple needs to be compatible with if they want to roll out support this year, later is better than sooner.
I hope it's true. I'll be looking for a new phone in the June - July time frame and would like LTE.
I hope so, too, but all evidence points to an Autumn release. Will Qualcomm's 28nm baseband chip be in mass production this month for Apple's ramp up?
If iOS 6 beta is released to developers sometime in April, I would say that this rumor is true. If no iOS 6 developer preview until WWDC, then next iPhone in September/October.
This.
:P
If iOS 6 beta is released to developers sometime in April, I would say that this rumor is true. If no iOS 6 developer preview until WWDC, then next iPhone in September/October.
I hear the analysts say iTV or whatever it will be named won't be released until 2013. What if that was wrong and Apple intends to release their TV this year. Wouldn't the September/October time frame be better for a TV for sale right before the Christmas Holiday? The latest iPhone, especially if it is redesigned or has LTE would be a hot seller no matter when released.
Just thinking out loud.
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Am I in a different universe? Or is Apple's next iPhone going to be the SIXTH GENERATION version? The fifth gen is already out, and it's called the iPhone 4S. This guy is only talking about an increase in production for the 4S, most likely related to an expected surge in sales thanks to Apple opening the device up to more Chinese carriers.
Either that, or June is when Foxconn is going to hire the people and begin training them so that by july the new employees can safely handle sharp objects, like screw drivers. Then in August they chain the workers to the benches and go full out on making the new iPhones.
UPDATE: It is now known that Steve Jobs called this guy direct from his death bed to share with him Apple's future plans. Steve was always looking out for the little guy.
Foxconn recruiters say a lot of things ....
They should be charged and tried in court. The lack of rule of law in China is disturbing. (As you know I like to yammer on about)
I hope we have alternatives to China over the next 50 years. Otherwise, addiction to oil will look like nothing compared to addiction to China.
There's a reason why Huawei has been blocked from Australia's National Broadband Network, even though Huawei is in everything else here from telco gear through to 3g/4g modems.
As for iOS6, correct me if I am wrong, but have they really been releasing a new version every year? I've heard nothing about it and it seems like iOS 5 ain't that old.
Given that the last iPhone was a spec bump, it wouldn't be so nuts for the new form factor to be released in June.
this is how I feel about it. Apple slipped their anual release date from June to September and all we got for the delay was Siri, which needed the extra development time and is still heavily beta. Why wouldn't Apple return to June with the next iPhone that's had two years to prepare since the iPhone 4?