A supply chain report says that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models have now entered mass production ahead of their launch in September.
Assembly partner Foxconn is said to be offering significant bonuses to returning workers as it seeks to ramp up recruitment to peak levels …
Foxconn, Apple’s primary contract manufacturer, has entered its peak recruitment season as the iPhone 18 series enters mass production and ramps up capacity, according to supply chain sources cited by mainland media.
The report pointed out that At Foxconn’s Zhengzhou Port Area A business group, hourly wages are currently as high as 27 yuan (HK$31.24), with returning workers receiving up to 7,500 yuan.
The seasonal nature of iPhone assembly means that Foxconn and other Apple manufacturing partners need to recruit very substantial numbers of seasonal workers. They typically offer higher hourly rates than during the rest of the year, as well as substantial lump-sum bonuses to entice people from rural China to travel to Zhengzhou to carry out the work.
Workers typically live in dormitory accommodation for the duration of their contract, which may be for around three months. The salaries paid are significantly higher than they would be able to earn locally.
In addition to a more powerful chip and display upgrades, the upcoming flagship model could involve three controversial compromises. Reports have suggested that it will be thicker and heavier than its predecessor, and that it will continue the unpopular trend started by the iPhone 17 Pro of not offering either a black or dark gray colour option.
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Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!
