Apple Has Over 200,000 People Making The iPhone 6, And It Still Can't Keep Up With All The Orders

Advertisement

foxconn ipad

Inside a Foxconn factory

Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is struggling to make enough iPhone 6 units to meet demand, Lorraine Luk at the Wall Street Journal reports.

Advertisement

"We have been churning out 140,000 iPhone 6 Plus and 400,000 iPhone 6 every day, the highest daily output ever, but the volume is still not enough to meet the preorders," a source familiar with the situation told Luk.

The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display, and the 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch display. Apple's suppliers are having a harder time making the 5.5-inch display, which is why Foxconn is making fewer 5.5-inch phones.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Foxconn has 100 production lines cranking out iPhones "around the clock" in Zhengzhou, China, says Luk. There are over 200,000 people "dedicated to just making new iPhones and key components such as metal casings."

Foxconn is hiring more people to make the phones.

Advertisement

This is fairly standard for Apple. In the beginning, there's a crazy burst of demand and it's hard for its partners to keep up. Over time demand and supply balance out.