14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is getting ready to being the mass production of the next-generation iPhone, but as far as its Chinese suppliers are concerned, the timing is could not have been worse.
This is because the Chinese government has recently announced a new lockdown, and according to reports, a Foxconn plant supposed to produce the iPhone is affected as well.
The facility located in Shenzhen is part of the so-called closed loop lockdown, which means that only employees who actually live there are allowed to work. Anyone coming from the outside isn’t allowed to enter the facility for seven full days, as the authorities are still trying to fight with the pandemic and they believe that this approach could help limit the spreading of the virus.
Foxconn, on the other hand, says the operations at the local plant are running normally, though it remains to be seen if the lockdown is going to have any impact on the iPhone production in the short term.
Apple is expected to start the mass production of the iPhone 14 any week now, with the device to be officially announced in September.
People familiar with the matter revealed that Apple has already conducted the trial production, and the company even planned to begin the mass production earlier than usual, specifically to prevent any delays caused by potential lockdowns.
As it turns out, the lockdowns are still impacting Apple, but of course, it’s too early to tell if the launch of the iPhone 14 would be affected in any way.
On the other hand, China’s aggressive lockdowns could eventually affect the debut of the iPhone 14 as well, so don’t be too surprised if the company ends up launching some models in limited numbers. The unveiling will take place in September, with the sales typically kicking off later the same month.