Apple Empowers Chinese Engineers To Manage Production Processes

Apple gives engineers more responsibility in managing its hardware manufacturing processes, according to a new report from Apple the Wall Street Journal. Before the pandemic, Apple often sent U.S.-based engineers into the country to help oversee development, but the report says the company is now leaning more on China-based engineers amid heightened border restrictions due to COVID-19.

What’s New?

Apple claims, however, that its US-based engineers are still engaging in global development initiatives remotely. According to the Wall Street Journal;

“The iPhone maker has also implemented technologies, such as live streaming, to allow employees at its Cupertino, California headquarters to monitor what’s going on afar.”

People speculated on what is going on in China’s factories. According to one of the sources, Apple has employed iPads for communication and augmented reality capabilities to assist Cupertino technical experts in reviewing factory concerns.

What’s More?

Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, continues to make the majority of “important decisions” and product design. According to the Wall Street Journal.

Apple is known for its supply chain supremacy, and many of the factories that it uses to produce its products are in China. Global chip shortages and COVID-19-related interruptions, including Chinese lockdowns, have weighed hard on the company’s operations, to the point where CEO Tim Cook indicated in the company’s Q2 results call that sales were down “in the range of $4 billion to $8 billion.”

Digging In More Details

The iPhone 14 series, a redesigned MacBook Air (with sources varying on whether it will use an M1 or M2 processor), and the Air Pods Pro of the second generation are all said to be in the works for this year. Despite Apple’s changes, it’s unclear whether the development of these devices has slowed. And if the problems persist, there’s a risk Apple will ship some of them later than planned.