Foxconn claims iPhone 5 demand is too high to handle

Foxconn chief Terry Gou, in a recent interview, spoke about the iPhone 5, and claimed that Foxconn is not manufacturing iPhones as fast as Apple would like it to.

According to a report by Reuters, the demand for iPhones is too high, and Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group said the company's flagship Hon Hai unit is having a hard time coping with it.

Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou said, “It's not easy to make the iPhones. We are falling short of meeting the huge demand.”

Apple iPhone 5 demand is high

Gou did not specify the model of iPhone he was referring to, as Foxconn manufactures the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and the iPhone 4. In all likelihood, the Foxconn chief was referring to the iPhone 5 as the device has been in short supply the world over.

The Apple iPhone 5, which launched on November 2 in India, had already been sold out at official resellers' stores, and those interested in purchasing the handset would have to wait for three to five weeks to get their hands on the device.

Many had predicted that the iPhone 5 would not succeed in India due to its extremely high price tag, but it appears that even if one walks into an official Apple reseller store with a pocketful of cash, the chances of getting a unit are next to none.

Those trying to get their hands on the handset can buy it through the grey market at the same cost as the official channels, but potential buyers would also need to wait. The wait, however, is not as long, and they can get it within a day or two of placing the order.

An earlier report by The Wall Street Journal stated that “Apple has said its new iphone 5 sold faster initially than any other iPhone but sales have fallen short of some analysts’ expectations due in part to supply shortages. So what’s causing the supply shortage?  Here is Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.’s take. The company, based in Taiwan with factories across China, uses the trade name Foxconn Technology Group, and assembles many Apple products including the new iPhone. “The iPhone 5 is the most difficult device that Foxconn has ever assembled.  To make it light and thin, the design is very complicated,” said an official at the company who declined to be named. “It takes time to learn how to make this new device. Practice makes perfect. Our productivity has been improving day by day.” The report goes on to state that the factory has been taking steps to improve the situation, and address the issue of scratches present on new iPhone 5 units out of the box.

Here is a quick look at some of the highlighted features of the iPhone 5:

• 4-inch, 326ppi Retina display at 1136 x 640 pixels,
• GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, LTE and Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 720p front-facing camera
• 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions