iPhone 16 Sales Slump Leads to Quiet Production Lines at Zhengzhou Foxconn During National Day Holiday

iPhone 16 Sales Slump Leads to Quiet Production Lines at Zhengzhou Foxconn During National Day HolidayThis year's National Day holiday saw a noticeable decline in activity at Zhengzhou Foxconn's production lines, a stark contrast to the bustling scenes of previous years. Employees report that the factory usually gears up for "mass production" during the holiday, offering overtime opportunities for increased earnings

iPhone 16 Sales Slump Leads to Quiet Production Lines at Zhengzhou Foxconn During National Day Holiday

This year's National Day holiday saw a noticeable decline in activity at Zhengzhou Foxconn's production lines, a stark contrast to the bustling scenes of previous years. Employees report that the factory usually gears up for "mass production" during the holiday, offering overtime opportunities for increased earnings. However, this year, only a portion of the production lines are operating overtime, directly linked to the subdued sales of the iPhone 16 series.

Media reports indicate that Zhengzhou Foxconn's recruitment efforts this year have been scaled back compared to previous years, with fewer production lines added compared to the same period last year. This suggests Foxconn's expectations for iPhone 16 production have been lowered. A report by Morgan Stanley points out that the average delivery time for the iPhone 16 series from order to delivery is 14 days, the shortest in the past five years, potentially indicating sales below forecasts. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also noted that the iPhone 16 series saw a 12.7% decrease in pre-orders compared to the iPhone 15 during the initial weekend.

This slump in sales has directly impacted production at Zhengzhou Foxconn. An employee with nearly five years of experience at the facility shared that while lines producing the iPhone 16 remain busy, with workers logging approximately 11 hours daily, production lines dedicated to overseas orders for the iPhone 15 series have seen virtually no overtime. This has affected the income of some workers, particularly those involved in older model production, as their earnings have decreased due to reduced overtime hours.

The subdued iPhone 16 sales not only affect production at Zhengzhou Foxconn but also highlight the increasing challenges Apple faces in the high-end smartphone market. With competitors continuously launching products boasting higher value for money, Apple needs to constantly innovate to sustain its market share and profitability.