14 DAY TRIAL // Pegatron Corp. and Foxconn Electronics are making inroads to start producing iPhone 6 handsets for Apple beginning with the second quarter of the year, Reuters noted today citing a Commercial Times report.
According to the news agency, “Taiwan's Pegatron Corp, which assembles Apple Inc's iPhone and iPad, is opening up new factory space and recruiting workers in China to meet orders to manufacture the new iPhone 6,” the Commercial Times reportedly said.
The paper said production would begin in the second quarter, with no timeline available for when the phones would ship to retail stores around the world. Not that such information has ever been available ahead of Apple’s ceremonious unveiling.
Notably, the report mentions Pegatron first and Foxconn second as the two main iPhone 6 assemblers.
“In addition to Pegatron, fellow Taiwanese contract assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd would be the other primary manufacturer of the new phone, Commercial Times said.”
Foxconn has always been on top of every Apple order for the past decade, so it seems a bit surprising to hear that Pegatron might actually scoop up more orders this time around.
Pegatron will be assembling its share of iPhone 6 orders at a facility in Kunshan, on the outskirts of Shanghai. The exact number of factories or workers used for producing the next-generation device is also unknown.
Not surprisingly, neither of the two giant electronics manufacturers would confirm the rumor that preparations are underway for iPhone 6 production. Other details were not given.
iPhone 6 is expected to sport a larger, 4.7-inch display and a completely redesigned chassis. The phone’s screen is said to be covered with scratch-resistant sapphire.
Some industry watchers have speculated that Apple might need to use its summer Worldwide Developers Conference to unveil the iPhone 6 in 2014, as waiting until fall (when the company usually launches new iPhones) may prove bad for business in the wake of Samsung’s assault on the market.
However, Apple is also said to be launching a revolutionary smart-watch that packs sensors for reading body functions, helping users lead better lives. The iWatch would also act as a handy interface between the user and various communications apps on the iPhone in their pocket, such as Phone, Messages, and social networking tools.
Some say the iWatch will be deployed first and the iPhone 6 second. Cramming both these major product launches into one show would be difficult (if not impossible), especially given that WWDC is also reserved for major software announcements (iOS, OS X).