Foxconn: iPhone 5 is the Most Difficult iPhone to Make; Productivity is Improving

[Anthony Bouchard]

If you have been waiting a long time to get your hands on Apple’s new iPhone 5 due to the long shipping wait times, then some good news has surfaced. Foxconn says productivity is "improving."

Foxconn has been the main assembler of several of Apple's devices. Out of all of them, Foxconn notes how the iPhone 5 is the "most difficult" to produce due to its "complicated" thin and light design. Over the time of making the iPhone 5, Foxconn hopes to get better at making it and reduce error while improving production speed at the same time:

The iPhone 5 is the most difficult device that Foxconn has ever assembled. To make it light and thin, the design is very complicated. It takes time to learn how to make this new device. Practice makes perfect. Our productivity has been improving day by day.

It’s understandable how the device might be more difficult to produce. Apple explains to us in their iPhone 5 introduction video (shown at the Keynote) that the iPhone 5 took a lot of work from the engineering team to pack all of the internal hardware into such a small amount of space.

Apple also told us how the iPhone 5 is designed down to the "micron," ensuring that every part is precision-made to look the way it does. Precision is the most likely reason for the slower production of the iPhone 5, as rushing leads to mistakes.

Sources: Wall Street Journal via MacRumors

[zinjen]

I think it's funny how they say this is the most difficult device that Foxxconn has ever assembled, but iFixIt says it's the easiest device to take apart.

Well, I guess it makes sense.

[mmaboi21]

I think it's funny how they say this is the most difficult device that Foxxconn has ever assembled, but iFixIt says it's the easiest device to take apart.

Well, I guess it makes sense.

Makes sense because apple has made the parts more repairable then previous iPhones. Thus leading to more policy procedures on how the device is made.

[bigboyz]

^^It also takes me longer to get dressed than it does to undress..just saying :]

[mmaboi21]

^^It also takes me longer to get dressed than it does to undress..just saying :]

But you've been doing that for years...
Apples got a new phone with parts that they support as far as replacing.

[Anthony Bouchard]

But you've been doing that for years...
Apples got a new phone with parts that they support as far as replacing.

iFixit has been disassembling iPhones for years .

[Anonymous]

iFixit has been disassembling iPhones for years .

Foxconn has been making iPhones for years .

[Extremador]

I wonder if this could mean that in a few months all the scuffing issues will be fixed by either better anodizing or a switch to powder coat.

[Feanor64]

Foxconn has been making iPhones for years .

exactly

[docmagoo2]

Surely the iPhone 4 / 4s were a piece of piss to dismantle?

[BhadKarma]

Hahahaha u guys. Good replies on this article.

[mmaboi21]

Lol

[zinjen]

I wonder if this could mean that in a few months all the scuffing issues will be fixed by either better anodizing or a switch to powder coat.

Because the backs are easily removable, I'm assuming as a consumer we will be able to purchase custom backs ourselves.

I prefer the black glass on the ip4/ip4s versus the ip5 scratches I'm seeing...

[tridley68]

Well i can take anything apart but putting a I Phone 5 together well that is a different story.

[mmaboi21]

Because the backs are easily removable, I'm assuming as a consumer we will be able to purchase custom backs ourselves.

I prefer the black glass on the ip4/ip4s versus the ip5 scratches I'm seeing...

That's so weird because I haven't seen any unless they have been dropped. I do like the glass back though

[SilverWulfe]

I got my 5 last Wednesday, didn't actually take it out the box until Friday noticed that it came with an impression under the apple and the sides on back were already scratched. Go Foxconn and hiring under aged kids to work and eff up my phone. Too excited to really look it over.

[back9player]

maybe it's because Foxxconn's older work force off themselves too frequently, for the skill level to be retained? Or the underage workers who's dexterity have not developed properly yet?

[PaKi619]

assembling is always harder than taking apart.

[RICO_]

Maybe they should have used some of that precision during the brain-storming of the R&D and quality control of this device considering all the scratches, scuffs, dirt, and damage that people are receiving their iPhones with. Designed to the micron.....get real!

[regkilla]

with all the very small parts involved I could see why.