800K iPhones built a week?

The Taiwanese company that handles iPhone assembly, Foxconn, has dramatically increased its production levels, a new report claims. Citing a source "close to Apple with direct knowledge of the numbers," the report suggests that Foxconn is now expected to build some 800,000 iPhone 3Gs per week. This is said to be "above current full capacity" of the company, according to the source, and could be risking quality problems. A number of iPhone owners have been spotting cracks in the casing.

While Foxconn is said to be capable of upgrading production to meet Apple demand, the current rate may be unsustainable, as it would result in over 41 million phones built per year, well over the 25 million lifetime units predicted in a Commercial Times story from April. Apple does intend to ship to at least 70 countries by the end of the year however, and may add more going into 2009.

by MacNN Staff