So what does this mean for us consumers? good news or bad?

[coolweirdo]

The WSJ revealed some iPhone 6 production numbers as Foxconn struggles to meet demand from pre-orders: the company is operating around 100 production lines around the clock, has 200,000 workers dedicated to production of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus – and is manufacturing 540,000 units a day.

“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,” said a person familiar with the matter …




The split between the two models also provides some insight into what pre-order customers have ordered, suggesting that more than a third of orders are for the larger iPhone 6 Plus. The real number could be far higher, as production of the larger model is being held back by very poor yield rates for the 5.5-inch screen.

The output rate of 5.5-inch is still only around 50%-60%, which means display makers have to scrap almost half of the substandard output, said a person at a display component supplier. The person said the output rate of the 4.7-inch display is better at 85%.

The high failure rates reflect the complexity of the new screens, in which the touch sensors are integrated into the display itself rather than being a separate layer as on earlier iPhone models – part of the secret to the thinness and lightness of the new phones.

The far lower yield rates for the iPhone 6 Plus displays explains why they went to 3-4 week delivery almost immediately when pre-orders opened, and why Apple excluded the larger model from employee reservations.

 

[jabingla2810]

What does it mean to consumers?

That they may have to wait longer for their phone.

 

[coolweirdo]

over a half a million phones a day wouldn't you think thats more than enough to supply an demand??

 

[noobinator]

over a half a million phones a day wouldn't you think thats more than enough to supply an demand??

Not when you have 4 million pre-orders and have to fully stock hundreds of stores AND handle all the new online orders.

 

[TJ82]

Imagine all that workforce, and other workforces in tech were actually all working together on a grand project like exploration or off-world colonisation? Could do some amazing things.

But no. All that, so we can have another phone that we already have so many off that we're recycling them.

That's why aliens don't visit us. They take a look and think we're too stupid to bother with.

Still, glad I'm getting a bigger screen on Friday though

 

[urkel]

over a half a million phones a day wouldn't you think thats more than enough to supply an demand??

I think it's great to hear a number from Foxconn because 400,000 iPhone 6 and 140,000 iPhone 6+ does indicate that they are pushing out a lot of these. But the problem is that we know nothing else.

What is the split between 6 and 6+ orders?
Does any specific color or capacity get higher production volume?
What country are these made for?
How many are set aside for Apple retail, carrier retail or online sale?


With such a high volume of 6's being made then I dont think those buyers need to worry too much. But 6+ buyers.... we may be in big trouble because I think consumers and even Apple have been caught off guard in the massive demand of a "MegaPhone" (No, I won't say Phablet).

 

[turbineseaplane]

I can never figure out why they don't have an official online "stock tracker" for the Apple Stores.

Wouldn't they prefer that people go out of their own way to buy up the phones?

To me it's just annoying to "show up and see" at random stores = No thanks

 

[noobinator]

I think it's great to hear a number from Foxconn because 400,000 iPhone 6 and 140,000 iPhone 6+ does indicate that they are pushing out a lot of these. But the problem is that we know nothing else.

What is the split between 6 and 6+ orders?
Does any specific color or capacity get higher production volume?
What country are these made for?
How many are set aside for Apple retail, carrier retail or online sale?


With such a high volume of 6's being made then I dont think those buyers need to worry too much. But 6+ buyers.... we may be in big trouble because I think consumers and even Apple have been caught off guard in the massive demand of a "MegaPhone" (No, I won't say Phablet).

I think Apple calls it the Plus to be politically correct. They didn't want to call it fat. Plus sized models, Plus sized phone.

 

[TJ82]

I can never figure out why they don't have an official online "stock tracker" for the Apple Stores.

Wouldn't they prefer that people go out of their own way to buy up the phones?

To me it's just annoying to "show up and see" = No thanks

Show up and we'll sell you something else

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

All hail slave labor!

 

[turbineseaplane]

Show up and we'll sell you something else

Precisely what makes me go "meh"

Especially since they'll be overflowing with 16gb's nobody wants

 

[jlake02]

That's why aliens don't visit us. They take a look and think we're too stupid to bother with.

Yes they do!

 

[aristobrat]

over a half a million phones a day wouldn't you think thats more than enough to supply an demand??

If you're just thinking about the demand in the US, then yeah.

But not all of those phones are destined for the US. There are a lot of countries that haven't even gotten to pre-order yet.

All of the ones below get to preorder next Friday.

Switzerland, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Luxembourg, Russia, Austria, Turkey, Finland, Taiwan, Belgium, Portugal

And there's a list of countries that will get to pre-order after these...

 

[andyw715]

I'm more concerned with the low quality acceptance rate of the 6+.

Hope some of those bad ones don't get shipped.

 

[jamets515]

I don't think I've worked out the math properly on this, maybe someone can help.

From what i've read they're making 540,000 iPhones a day across 100 production lines. It's a safe bet they're working around the clock on this too.

So that's 5,400 units per production line per day.

Or 225 per production line per hour.

Or 3.75 per production line per minute.

Or 1 unit every 16 seconds.

Do they assemble one iPhone in 16 seconds?

 

[coolweirdo]

well I'm guessing since china is not in the pre order mix right now like last year will give apple some wiggle room unlike last year all the gold iPhones 5s pretty much went to china

 

[lordofthereef]

over a half a million phones a day wouldn't you think thats more than enough to supply an demand??

Demand on the 6 Plus is high. That has a measly 140,000 units a day. I would say that is far from enough, particularly early on.

I don;t imagine the 6 will be difficult to pick up launch day. The Plus... another story.

 

[TJ82]

140k before or after the failures? I'm guessing 140k was working, finished phones and the failure rate was a reference to the screens?

 

[Kyotoma]

I don't think I've worked out the math properly on this, maybe someone can help.

From what i've read they're making 540,000 iPhones a day across 100 production lines. It's a safe bet they're working around the clock on this too.

So that's 5,400 units per production line per day.

Or 225 per production line per hour.

Or 3.75 per production line per minute.

Or 1 unit every 16 seconds.

Do they assemble one iPhone in 16 seconds?

From beginning to end, no. Since they are produced on an assembly line the labor times are equated a little differently.

 

[cambookpro]

I don't think I've worked out the math properly on this, maybe someone can help.

From what i've read they're making 540,000 iPhones a day across 100 production lines. It's a safe bet they're working around the clock on this too.

So that's 5,400 units per production line per day.

Or 225 per production line per hour.

Or 3.75 per production line per minute.

Or 1 unit every 16 seconds.

Do they assemble one iPhone in 16 seconds?

Simple division of labour. I'm harking back to some basic economics lessons here, but Adam Smith came up with the famous pin analogy.

I can't remember the exact numbers, but ~10 people could make around 250 pins a day if they each made whole pins continuously.

If they each specialised in a certain area, that number rose to about 40,000! The difference really is stark. It's not hard to imagine an iPhone being assembled, pro rata, in a very short space of time.

 

[maflynn]

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