The Zhitong Finance App learned that Hon Hai Precision, the main foundry partner of Apple (AAPL.US), expects that its huge manufacturing layout around the world will help meet the growing demand for the American company's iconic folding screen devices.
The US company unveiled the $2,000 iPhone Duo earlier this month. Limited stock in offline stores quickly sold out, and some online orders were scheduled to be shipped until the end of January, making it one of the longest delays in delivery of new products in Apple's modern history.
The iPhone Duo is currently mainly assembled by Hon Hai (also known as Foxconn) at its campus in central China. Hon Hai also produces parts for Apple at other factories inside and outside of China.
Jiang Shangyi, the rotating CEO of Hon Hai, said in an interview: “We have more than 240 locations in 24 countries around the world, which allows us to supply our customers in a timely manner when they need them. So I'm very confident we can meet the needs.”
This statement is in response to a question about whether the iPhone Duo can meet holiday season orders. Jiang Shangyi added that he believes AI will boost demand for consumer electronics products.
Although Jiang Shangyi did not name Apple or iPhone Duo, he played a key role in coordinating Foxconn's business with the US company. In October of this year, when Apple's chief operating officer Sabih Khan visited Foxconn's central China factory, it was Jiang Shangyi who accompanied him on a tour of the iPhone Duo production line.
Liu Yangwei, chairman of Hon Hai, has been cultivating potential successors through the rotating CEO system. Jiang Shangyi took up this new position in April of this year.
Like many of its hardware peers in Taiwan Province of China, Hon Hai's business has experienced a transformation in the AI era. Apple once contributed more than 50% of its revenue, but now that's not what it used to be. In the second quarter, Hon Hai's Cloud and Network Division contributed 51% of total sales, indicating that AI-related hardware has become the engine driving the company's growth.
Hon Hai is scheduled to present its latest server products equipped with Nvidia chips at its annual flagship event on Friday, and is also expected to release a new line of electric vehicles.