VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Foxconn is ramping up hiring and production at its Zhengzhou iPhone plant ahead of Apple's iPhone 16 launch, offering competitive wages and bonuses to meet production demands.

In China, Microsoft employees were banned from using Android phones and were forced to use iPhones only as a device, sparking social media backlash due to overreliance on foreign technologies.

Apple has secured an observer role on OpenAI’s board as part of a significant agreement, with Phil Schiller, the head of Apple’s App Store, appointed to the position.

Elon Musk has threatened to ban Apple iPhones from X, Tesla, and SpaceX, calling the tech giant’s deal with OpenAI a security risk, and saying that Apple has ‘no clue’ that its data might be compromised in the long run.

Apple analyst Ming-chi Kuo speculated that the iPhone 16 would come in two new colors that would replace two colors Apple is planning to discontinue.

Apple is aggressively discounting select iPhone models in China, offering up to a $360 price reduction on its official Tmall site. It aims to compete with local rivals like Huawei, which is under pressure from its new smartphone series, the Pura 70.

There has been a speculation that Apple is developing a slimmer iPhone alongside its iPhone 17 by September 2025.

A surge of approximately 12% in iPhone shipments was recorded in China for the month of March, thanks to up to 10% discounts initiated by Apple and its partners. This follows a 37% sales decline earlier in 2024 and heightened competition from Huawei.

Foxconn reports its highest-ever April revenue surge, with a nearly one-fifth increase compared to last year, driven partly by strong iPhone demand and diversification efforts.

Counterpoint Research data shows Huawei's smartphone sales surged 69.7% in Q1, while Apple's iPhone sales fell 19.1%.

In Q1 2024, iPhone sales in China dropped significantly by 19.1%, contrasting with the modest 1.5% growth in the overall smartphone market, largely attributed to Huawei's 69.7% surge with its Mate 60 series.

Apple has faced a significant setback in its iPhone shipments, experiencing a larger-than-projected 10% decline in the March quarter.

Apple has alerted iPhone users in 92 countries that they may have been a target of mercenary spyware attacks.

Makers of ChatGPT and iPhone are reportedly seeking funds to create a personal device that would integrate the two.

Apple CEO Tim Cook arrives in Shanghai ahead of a new retail store opening and decreasing iPhone sales.