iPhone 14 production is expected to begin any day now, ahead of the device's rumoured September launch.
A report by the South China Morning Post (via 9to5mac) claims that Foxconn – the Taiwanese company that operates the world's largest iPhone factory – has gone on a "hiring spree".
New assembly line workers at the vast Zhengzhou plant have been promised cash bonuses of 9000 yuan (around £1100 / US$1350 / AU$2000) to stay in the job until October, while returning workers are apparently being lured back with bonuses of 9500 yuan (around £1170 / US$1420 / AU$2100).
The hiring campaign comes just two and half months before Apple is expected to unveil its next flagship phone, and just over two months since several of Foxconn's factories endured costly shutdowns under the regime's 'zero-covid' policy.
Meanwhile, another iPhone 14 leak has shed light on the rumoured handset's battery. A tweet by rumoured industry insider ShrimpApplePro claims to lay bare the iPhone 14 battery specs:
- iPhone 14: 3279 mAh
- iPhone 14 Max: 4325 mAh
- iPhone 14 Pro: 3200 mAh
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: 4323 mAh
If the leak is legit, it means that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will get some extra oomph while the iPhone 14 Pro Max will see its battery capacity shrink by just under 1 per cent.
Apple is said to be readying a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. The standard 'Max' is believed to be the replacement for the iPhone Mini seen in the iPhone 12 and 13 ranges.
The two 'Pro' models are tipped for a slew of new features including always-on displays, a new 'pill + hole' design that houses Face ID sensors, a zippy new A16 processor and an improved 48MP rear camera.
Apple hasn’t revealed anything about the iPhone 14 yet, but some reports suggest that it will be made official on Tuesday 13th September.
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