While the Netherlands will soon be rid of the latest corona rules, parts of China will go into a strict lockdown. That has consequences for iPhone production, because a major Apple supplier has had to close one of its factories.
iPhone production China
Foxconn, one of Apple’s largest suppliers, has had to temporarily shut down its activities in Shenzhen, China. Due to rising infection figures, the Chinese metropolis is in a strict lockdown. Residents are no longer allowed to leave the city and public transport has been shut down.
Shenzhen non-essential companies have been asked to shut down operations until March 20. Apple supplier Foxconn has a factory there where iPhones and other Apple products are assembled. To mitigate the impact of the shutdown, the company is temporarily moving production to other locations as late as Bloomberg know.
Big consequences?
The suspension of iPhone production in Shenzhen has not yet caused Apple any major problems. The main iPhone factory is located in Zhengzhou, further north. That city – also known as iPhone City – is not yet affected by measures to control a new corona wave. In addition, the first quarter is not the busiest period for Apple, so the Zhengzhou plant can help make up for lost capacity.
China reported 3,393 infections on Sunday. These are low numbers for a country with 1.4 billion inhabitants, but according to China it is the largest wave in more than two years. Incidentally, the country has changed its policy in recent months. While China previously strived to remain corona-free, the authorities are now accepting some infections locally. However, it is up to city authorities to prevent the virus from spreading further.
For now, the iPhones are still in stock. This also applies to the iPhone SE 2022, which can be pre-ordered since last Friday. If you order it now, you will have it in most stores this Friday (March 18).