Foxconn factories in China on hiring spree ahead of Apple’s AI-compatible iPhone 16 launch

Apple’s next smartphone upgrade is one of its most anticipated in recent years because all new models are expected to support AI features

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Foxconn is ramping up recruitment for workers responsible for assembling iPhones. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:00am, 12 Jul 2024

Contract electronics manufacturer Foxconn is ramping up hiring in the world’s biggest iPhone plant in Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan province, as Apple gears up for the launch of its next-generation handset this autumn.

The iPhone assembler, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, is offering a 25 yuan (US$3.44) hourly rate and a bonus of up to 7,500 yuan for returning workers previously employed by the Zhengzhou factory, according to recruitment posts published by the company this week.

The package is a step up from the 6,000 yuan bonus offered a month ago by Foxconn’s “A” unit, formerly known as the Integrated Digital Product Business Group, which is the company’s main iPhone production team.

“The peak season for Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant is happening now: high-paying jobs for temporary workers and returning employees,” read a job post by a local labour agency, one of several promoting opportunities at the factory.

Apple’s next smartphone launch is one of its most anticipated in recent years because all models of the coming iPhone 16 are expected to support the US tech giant’s new artificial intelligence (AI) features arriving early next year.

The Cupertino, California-based company is counting on the AI upgrade to boost sales, with the goal of shipping at least 90 million iPhone 16 devices in the second half of this year, a 10 per cent growth compared to the previous generation, according to a report by Bloomberg on Thursday citing unnamed sources.