Apple manufacturer Foxconn adds workers to make iPhones, report says
Apple may be preparing to start production on its next iPhone.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Foxconn has added about 10,000 workers per week since the last week of March to its factory in Zhengzhou, which is a major producer of iPhones.
Citing executives familiar with the matter, the Journal reports that the Zhengzhou factory is adding employees to work on the next iPhone. No other details of when the smartphone might be announced or technical specifications were revealed.
Apple and Foxconn did not immediately respond to CBSNews.com's request for comment.
Foxconn manufactures over half of the world's electronics. The factory's client list includes corporations like Apple, Microsoft and Samsung. The Taiwan-based company is one of the world's largest employers.
Several reports suggest that Apple's next smartphone, dubbed the iPhone 5S, will launch in June. Previously, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said that the next iPhone will come out in late June, with a cheaper version released in September. According to CNET, Jaffray speculates that the iPhone 5S will only have incremental upgrades - faster processor, better software and better camera.
Jaffray also suggested that the iPhone 6 may include NFC technology or some type of biometric security feature.
A recent report on Mashable suggests that the next two iPhones were designed under the watch of then CEO Jobs. Citing San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, the blog says that the next two iPhones were designed before CEO Tim Cook took charge of the tech giant, following Jobs' death.
Other rumors have similar timelines for Apple's next smartphone. KGI securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also says the next iPhone will be announced in June. According to CNET, Kuo believes the iPhone 5S will have a new A7 chip, better camera and LED technology called "Smart Flash."
According to Japanese fan site MacFan.jp, the next iPhone will be announced on June 20, with a low-cost iPhone coming in August.
Apple's Phone 5 was announced on Sept. 12, 2012. It joins the iPhone 4S in terms of fall releases. All previous iPhones were announced in the summer.
