iPhone production partially halted due to Covid lockdown

Foxconn, one of Apple’s most important suppliers, has to close two of its plants due to a corona lockdown. Production is now to be partly absorbed by other plants.

Apple’s latest and cheapest iPhone SE (third generation) goes on sale on Friday. But the start of sales is overshadowed by bad news from the Chinese tech metropolis Shenzhen: After another corona outbreak, the local authorities imposed a lockdown.

Two production sites of the Taiwanese supplier group Foxconn are also affected, as “Bloomberg” reports. iPhones are also currently being assembled there. To reduce the impact on Apple, Foxconn has relocated iPhone production to other sites that are still in regular operation.

Foxconn did not provide any information about the duration or scope of the redistribution. However, the lockdown in Shenzhen should initially apply until March 20th.

Timing is not ideal for Apple – iPhone SE launches Friday

The timing is not ideal for Apple – but not a catastrophe either: the devices required for the iPhone SE sales launch have long since been produced and delivered to the respective dealers. However, it is quite possible that a longer-lasting lockdown could cause delivery times for iPhones to skyrocket in the coming weeks.

In addition, the now closed locations for iPhone production are of somewhat less importance. Most of the manufacturing is done at a facility in Zhengzhou, according to Bloomberg. That’s why Zhengzhou is also nicknamed “iPhone City”.

In Shenzhen, meanwhile, about 17.5 million residents have to go into lockdown at least until Sunday. The city’s central business district had previously been subject to restrictions.