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Foxconn Employee Reportedly Commits Suicide Over Lost iPhone Prototype

Dreamail said:
What is interesting though is why are there 16 new prototypes handed around in mid July?

Assuming Apple won't release another iPhone until June 2010 it seems strange to have that many new prototypes so soon. No?
- Could this mean that it is likely we will see another iPhone model this year?
- Or a new iPhone by next January?
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There are two possibilities.

First we don't know if the prototype is for the USA/Europe market. It could be a prototype for the Chinese market, for example.

Secondly, it could be a prototype for the release next June in the USA/Europe market. Some people truely believe that Apple seen what Palm showed in January and reacted with what Apple showed in June.

The whole concept-to-market path is a much longer road then most people believe. As for why so many of a prototype...the 16 could be a total of several prototypes with variations in specs. Or they could need that many to do a rainbow of tests; battery life, environmental conditions, cartoning and shipping impact, FCC compliance, etc.
 
Needs Of the Many

It's sad that someone wouldbe driven to do this sort of thing... :(

If his superiors did in fact pressure him significantly then they are more to blame than their employee... :confused:

Apple have their policies and NDP's but it's also a case of how it is implemented by a sub-contractor. I think it's more of a bad for fox whom may have their contracts questioned... :apple:

Prototypes are lost all the time, that's how market spin doctors sell to their investors...and we here in rumour land kindle our fires... :D


So must be 3,1 prototype them :D
 
The long and winding road...

SandynJosh said:
There are two possibilities.

First we don't know if the prototype is for the USA/Europe market. It could be a prototype for the Chinese market, for example.

Secondly, it could be a prototype for the release next June in the USA/Europe market. Some people truely believe that Apple seen what Palm showed in January and reacted with what Apple showed in June.

The whole concept-to-market path is a much longer road then most people believe. As for why so many of a prototype...the 16 could be a total of several prototypes with variations in specs. Or they could need that many to do a rainbow of tests; battery life, environmental conditions, cartoning and shipping impact, FCC compliance, etc.
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Handset prototyping, physical handset, new component generations, electronics assemblies, live testing... in approximately that order.

So maybe Apple are looking at next gen shells already...
 
phatcat said:
Looks like Apple supports modern day sweatshops. Reminds me of Nike back in the day.
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SandynJosh said:
How in the hell did you make that leap of logic from this story? Get real! :rolleyes:
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You have a collect call from reality would you like to accept.

consoleboi said:
You're kidding me right?

If it was made in the USA, Apple would have to charge you 2x-3x the price of current cost!
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They already do as it is.
 
Sad news it is... but I as Christian cannot understand people committing suicide (for whatever reason) which to me is such an incredibly stupid action, but then again some people believe to be reborn as a new human or animal – it also reminds me, painfully, about a friend who bought a printer from me... to print his last letter to his parents.

I feel sorry for the parents, family and friends of Sun Danyong as all these Mac/Apple related rumors might put extra pressure on Apple and suppliers like Foxconn, who can't really afford to lose Apple as client (trying to image what they told Sun Danyong; presumably something about losing jobs for many of his co-workers, slandering his family name and what not).
 
Master Chief said:
Sad news it is... but I as Christian cannot understand people committing suicide (for whatever reason) which to me is such an incredibly stupid action, but then again some people believe to be reborn as a new human or animal – it also reminds me, painfully, about a friend who bought a printer from me... to print his last letter to his parents.

I feel sorry for the parents, family and friends of Sun Danyong as all these Mac/Apple related rumors might put extra pressure on Apple and suppliers like Foxconn, who can't really afford to lose Apple as client (trying to image what they told Sun Danyong; presumably something about losing jobs for many of his co-workers, slandering his family name and what not).
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what if he committed suicide believing it would be a better fate then what he had coming to him? scary stuff happens in the world; sometimes dying is the better choice.

then again, I'm just speculating. Nobody really knows what was going through that poor guys head.

horrible story though. illegally searching his home for a damn phone? China/Foxconn/Apple/Whoever-You-Wanna-Blame needs to get a grip. Disgusting.
 
Man...over a prototype at that? I can't help but suspect some Chinese mafia involvement in this case. Someone stood to make him a example of what happens to you when you mess with their money. Secrecy or not, Apple could careless about one prototype. They would be concerned about the whole project. And since it known that the iPhone is updated every year, it is always a surprise which features Apple decide to go with. No, definitly, this was about a company's integrity who was trusted to make and test prototypes. And now will be scrutinize by the the company that contracted them out.
 
Even in spite of Ireland having one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world, and a highly educated, English speaking workforce with the benefits of EU membership; it still lost the manufacturing facilities to China/Taiwan.
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My cousin recently purchased a Mac Pro, the new 2009 model, with the white box, it said when he opened it Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in Ireland, so there plant must still be operating.
 
Poor sod.

If its true that he was detained and beaten as a result of the investigation, then this is utter crap. Imagine if the same thing had happened in the US, you would sue the company your working for and walk away with $$$$$$.

My thoughts go out to his family and friends during this period, it must be really hard on them.

I would be very happy to see Apple get out of china, frankly I believe the QA has gone to *****e and the prices are still high. I'll even pay more if it means an improved QA and workers being treated fairly. Also the creation of jobs would be a big plus.
 
Macminiintel said:
My cousin recently purchased a Mac Pro, the new 2009 model, with the white box, it said when he opened it Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in Ireland, so there plant must still be operating.
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The plant is still very much there. It's Apple's European HQ. "Boxed in Ireland to take Advantage of Low Corporation Rates" isn't as catchy as "Assembled in Ireland". When I started in Apple it was very much manufacturing, we even had a large PCB facility, now it's just repackaging stuff that comes from other OEMs.
 
SandynJosh said:
The whole concept-to-market path is a much longer road then most people believe. As for why so many of a prototype...the 16 could be a total of several prototypes with variations in specs. Or they could need that many to do a rainbow of tests; battery life, environmental conditions, cartoning and shipping impact, FCC compliance, etc.
Click to expand...
exactly. there are prototypes for models coming out in 3 years or more. what's interesting though, I thought prototypes are made in house and factory produced prototypes are for the testing of mass production.
 
eawmp1 said:
So...Apple is to blame for the socio-political realities in China, or the cultural differences that value honor over life? I'm no fanboy, but substitute any cutting-edge company (with a potentially innovative product) for "Apple" and the result would have been the same.
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I do not think so. I have not EVER heard of other people being detained in-house over a lost Dell product in pre-production! This fellow might have killed himself or may have been helped as a missing prototype could potentially cost Apple hundreds of millions of dollars and a large chunk of the market if a rival developer were to get their hands on something like that.

So, do I blame Apple, Foxcon or China and the culture if suicide when something like this goes down? All of the above but I think the ultra-secret nature (understandable) of Apple and the major ramifications this could and will cause between Apple and Foxcon are the most likely causes. This poor fellow would never have worked at Foxcon or any other high-tech firm in China again - and the chances he makes it to the US are slim with not at all being far more likely.

D
 
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