Over the past few years, Apple has been shifting iPhone production to other regions where it had previously traditionally been manufactured in China. Now we are starting to see the effects. A new report reveals what happens when Apple and Foxconn leave regions traditionally supported by iPhone production and the jobs that come with it.
In a strange and disturbing new video of one of Foxconn’s industrial parks uploaded to China Observer, we can see how the exodus affected not only the factory itself, but also the surrounding area.
“This town is approaching like a ghost town.”
According to the report, “The Foxconn factory in Nanning once required enormous daily resources to supply its workforce, including 60 tons of rice, 280 pigs, 1.2 million eggs, and 80,000 chickens. The restaurant could accommodate 12,000 people at a time, and the facility employed 50,000 people.”
The video itself pans over the factory, showing bare streets, empty factories and abandoned homes. It’s a reminder of just how influential Apple is in the areas it chooses to build its technology. Interestingly, this particular plant was not one of Foxconn’s main plants, which are “currently largely empty,” according to the report.
Apple and Foxconn have moved a lot of their production to Vietnam, which is why these areas are being abandoned. Residential areas in the Nanning area are left discounted to encourage people to move in, and the main high street is completely deserted. On the other hand, new factories in other regions may eventually encourage similar growth, but they are probably partly to blame. Companies like Apple and Foxconn use their own devices when leaving town.
The latest and greatest iPhones, including Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, will still be manufactured primarily in China, but an increasing number will be manufactured in India, Vietnam, and other regions.
