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China Mobile says over 60 million TD-SCDMA devices sold in 2012, aiming for twice as many this year
At today's Qualcomm QRD Summit in Shenzhen, China Mobile sent its Deputy General Manager of Products Wang Hengjiang to share some hardware stats. In 2012, over 60 million TD-SCDMA devices were sold, with December alone pumping out over seven million units. To put that into perspective, there are now over 220 million 3G phone users in China (as of end of November), meaning the carrier still has plenty of catching up to do as it had a late start in the 3G game. That said, Wang also announced that China Mobile aims to sell twice as many TD-SCDMA devices this year, with smartphones expected to take up over 80 percent of that segment -- hardly a challenge considering they already reached 94.4 percent in the last quarter. Wang added that out of the 120 million units to be sold this year, half of them will be customized by China Mobile -- presumably so that it can choose its own bloatware, right? As for TD-LTE, China Mobile expects its 4G technology to bloom in China some time between 2014 and 2015, as it continues to help the development of devices that natively support five modes (GSM, TD-SCDMA, UMTS, FD-LTE and TD-LTE) along with 10 to 12 bands. Obviously this is the very reason why China Mobile is getting cosy with Qualcomm, the company who has SoCs that support all these radios. Wang added that ahead of the full launch of TD-LTE, his company will be initiating user trials for TD-LTE data devices and phones throughout 2013 -- the first half of the year for the former, and the second half for the latter. Well, we only have three words for China Mobile: hurry up already!
Improvements at Foxconn's China factory
Foxconn has been under the microscope due to excessive overtime and poor working conditions at its Chinese production facilities. A report in the New York Times suggests the company is making changes that'll improve the workplace for its 1.4 million employees in China. These improvements include less overtime, pay increases and improved working conditions. The report chronicles Pu Xiaolan, a migrant worker from Sichuan province who has benefitted from Foxconn's worker-friendlier policies. She previously had a chair to helps her with her work inspecting iPad cases, but it didn't have back support. She would end her shift so sore that she had difficulty sleeping. Pu says she now has a wooden chair with a high, sturdy back that eases the strain on her back. She has even heard of some employees getting chairs with cushions. Apple's influence on Foxconn and its increasingly prominent role in worker's rights is also highlighted in the New York Times article. Human rights groups hope the Cupertino company will continue to focus on improving conditions for factory workers overseas. Many believe Apple has the public stature to initiate major changes in the way assembly workers are treated in the workplace. These improvements would not be limited to Foxconn, they could ripple throughout the entire electronics manufacturing industry. You can read the full article about Apple, Foxconn and working conditions on the New York Times' website.
TechCrunch looks at Apple's fight against the grey market in China
M.I.C. Gadget has an interesting post on Apple's efforts to reduce the influx of iPhones into the grey market with its new Shenzhen store. For years, Apple has been battling scalpers who either illegally import iPhones or buy them in bulk from Apple retail stores and resell them at a profit in mainland China. These professional scalpers have disrupted launches and forced Apple to include barricades, hundreds of police officers, teams of security officers and extra management. Apple is allegedly changing its internal management strategy and its ordering system to better handle this scalper problem. The company has supposedly brought in security specialists who are training staff to recognize problem situations before they rise. It's also working closely with public law enforcement, who can provide extra security if needed. Apple also modified its ordering system so scalpers can't flood its website with orders. Apple now keeps limited stock of iPhones on hand and uses a reservation ordering system to control the flow of outgoing handsets. You can read more about Apple's efforts and the scalping problem facing its new Shenzhen store in the article on M.I.C. Gadget. [Via TechCrunch]
To migrate or not to migrate: that is the upgrade question
Face it, a simple migration saves you lots of work. Apple's Migration Assistant transfers information when you set up your new Mac, letting you retain all your preferences and passwords on your new system. You pick up one one machine where you left off on another. So why do so many of us here at TUAW manually set up our computers? It's all about cruft, that stuff that builds up over time. Cruft includes apps you no longer use, preferences you don't really remember setting, bits and pieces scattered around your system that accumulate with use. We love unboxing, smelling that captured Shenzhen air, and setting up from scratch instead of bringing all our old mistakes and history along with us. And quite a number of us do this whenever we upgrade. Sure, it's a much harder process. I have a migration log that I use each time I set up a Mac. It takes at least a half day of work, waiting for applications to transfer, re-entering serial numbers, adjusting the way my scrollbars work ("Show scrollbars: always, Mouse > Scroll direction, natural: disable), and tweaking my hosts file (someonewhocares.org). And that's just a taste of the customization I do. Manually setting up your system transforms an automatic act into a deliberate one. It provides an excellent opportunity to question historical choices and evaluate how you want your system to behave. It's a natural break point, where you can reconsider how you've designed key system elements and where you can try out new ones fresh. It gives you a sense that your new computer really is new, complete with "new car" smell. You wouldn't want to move over all the crumb-infested juicebox-stained seats from your old minivan to your new Porsche, so why would you want to do the same for your Mac? Agreed, that's not a fair metaphor -- but it gives a sense of the ownership some of us want to feel over our new system. There's nothing there that we didn't deliberately put there. Sure, that sense of control quickly fades away as we start building up caches and attachment folders, temp files and so forth. But at least for a while, our system is fresh. And that's something worth considering the next time you upgrade. What about you? Are you a migrator or a manual installer? Place a vote in this poll and then join in the comments with your thoughts. %Poll-78896%
A look inside Shenzhen's first Apple Store
Shenzhen, China is the place where many Apple products come from. Foxconn has factories there that crank out the fruited electronics by the millions, and stories of the legions of workers who build those products are legend. Now Shenzhen is getting its first Apple Store, and M.I.C. Gadget was on hand for a press preview of the new store. The Shenzhen Apple Store will open at 9 AM local time this Saturday (November 3) and is the seventh Apple Store in the country. Apparently the company decided to "Think Different" about the design, as it's in the underground level of the Yitian Holiday Plaza shopping mall and doesn't have the Steve Jobs trademark glass staircase. M.I.C. Gadget's Herman Lai posits that the official Apple Store might help stem the flow of grey market products into China, as Shenzhen is the main point of entry for those products and having an official outlet might make it difficult for grey market resellers. The store also boasts two double-row Genius Bars like the ones that debuted at the Wangfujing Apple Store in Beijing a little over a week ago. Be sure to check out the M.I.C. Gadget post for a variety of photos of the inside and outside of the new facility.
Huawei's building its own mobile operating system 'just in case' there's trouble ahead
Huawei's boss must have been a Boy Scout, since he's taken its "be prepared' motto deeply to his heart. CEO Wan Biao has told Reuters that his company is working on its own mobile OS just in case its partners "won't let us use their system[s] one day." We don't expect to ever see the software, but given the fractious nature of the business, it's more likely to be a barbed hint at Google and Microsoft to keep sending flowers and chocolates to Shenzhen. That said, given that local rival ZTE is building phones with Firefox's OS, we'd politely suggest that it rescues another beloved OS from the clutches of HP's indifference.
Zorro Macsk review: instantly add touchscreen functionality to your 21.5-inch iMac
Over the years we've come across a few signs that pointed to the possibility of touchscreen-enabled iMacs, but Steve Jobs had already dismissed this as a possibility for current Mac form factors. Quoting the man at the "Back to the Mac" keynote from two years ago: "It gives great demo, but after a while your arm feels like it's going to fall off. Touch surfaces want to be horizontal." So perhaps our fantasy's still stuck in the "research project" phase. Luckily, the more adventurous touchscreen lovers can look to third-party solutions. For MacBooks you have Axiotron's Modbook, except you lose the keyboard and you can't perform the modification yourself. As for iMacs and Cinema Displays, we've been following Troll Touch for its resistive touchscreen replacement panels, but they aren't exactly affordable and most of them have to be installed by the company. Even its user-installable SlipCover series starts from $899, anyway. This leaves us with the Zorro Macsk, a cheekily named iMac accessory hailing from TMDtouch of Shenzhen, China. The 21.5-inch model is priced at just $199 on Amazon with no modifications required. Plus, it supports multitouch -- a glaring omission from Troll Touch's Mac lineup. So is this truly a bargain? Or is it just a case of "you get what you pay for?" Follow past the break to see how we got on with the Zorro Macsk.%Gallery-165013%
Foxconn announces $226 million half-year net loss, blames usual suspects
Manufacturing behemoth Foxconn (Hon Hai) has announced a record net loss of $226 million on turnover of $2 billion for the first half of the year. Unsurprisingly, it attributed the loss to the European debt crisis, global economic slowdown and its customers "continuous struggle" for market share. While it made a big push to encourage new customers, capacity far outstripped demand. In order to stem the tide, it's relocating some of its Shenzhen-based facilities to sites in Northern China -- and it's also in talks with carriers to become an ODM, building white-label smartphones in the same way that Huawei and ZTE do. While the loss isn't a rosy picture, the company does have nearly $2 billion stashed in the bank, so it shouldn't be worrying too much.
Fair Labor Association reports on Apple, Foxconn progress
The Fair Labor Association, a "collaborative effort of universities, civil society organizations and socially responsible companies dedicated to protecting workers' rights around the world," has been working with Apple on audits and recommendations to keep workers at supplier Foxconn's plants safe and happy. The FLA issued a report yesterday showing significant progress towards creating a better working environment for Foxconn employees. Apple joined the FLA in January of 2012 after reports of hostile working conditions and worker suicides at Foxconn plants. The findings published in the FLA report show that all 195 actions that were due during April and May were completed. Foxconn also completed 89 action items ahead of their deadlines, with 76 items remaining on the list of actions to be completed over the next year. Probably the best news was that Foxconn has made significant progress towards bringing its factories into compliance with Chinese legal limits on working hours, reducing hours to under 60 per week (with overtime). The goal? To reach full compliance of the legal limit of 40 hours per week plus an average of 9 hours of overtime, while making sure that workers are still compensated fairly. The text of the full statement of the FLA follows. Show full PR text WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Fair Labor Association today published a status report verifying implementation of action items after assessments conducted by the FLA at three facilities of Apple's largest supplier, Foxconn. This verification reviewed items slated for April and May, finding that Foxconn has completed all of the 195 actions that were due. In addition, 89 action items were completed ahead of their deadlines. The remaining 76 items are due over the course of the next year. In February and March 2012, FLA conducted a full body scan to establish a baseline of working conditions and compliance with labor laws at three Foxconn facilities in one of the most comprehensive and detailed assessments in the history of manufacturing. Apple and Foxconn accepted the FLA's findings and recommendations and created a robust 15-month action plan with defined target dates of completion. Independent investigators engaged by FLA returned to each of the facilities from June 25 to July 6, 2012, to verify completion of the action items due. Apple was the first electronics company to join the FLA, a coalition of universities, non-governmental organizations and businesses committed to improving the well-being, safety, fair treatment, and respect of workers, in January of 2012. "Our verification shows that the necessary changes, including immediate health and safety measures, have been made. We are satisfied that Apple has done its due diligence thus far to hold Foxconn accountable for complying with the action plan, including the commitment to reform its internship program," said Auret van Heerden, President and CEO of the Fair Labor Association. "When we finished our initial investigation in March, Foxconn promised to address concerns with its internship program by ensuring that student interns do not work overtime, their work has a more direct connection to their field of study, and they understand that they are free to terminate the internship if and when they wish." FLA also found that Foxconn took steps to bring its factories into full compliance with Chinese legal limits on working hours by July 2013. Foxconn has already reduced hours to under 60 per week (including overtime) with the goal of reaching full compliance with the Chinese legal limit of 40 hours per week plus an average of 9 hours of overtime per week while protecting worker compensation. This commitment was one of the most significant to flow from the assessments. "The next phase of improvements will be challenging for Foxconn because they involve major changes in the working environment that will inevitably cause uncertainty and anxiety among workers. As Foxconn prepares to comply with the Chinese legal limits on work hours, consultation with workers on the changes and implications will be critical to a successful transition," said van Heerden. FLA's verification found that many physical changes to improve worker health and safety were made during this period, including the enforcement of ergonomic breaks, changing the design of workers' equipment to guard against repetitive stress injuries, updating of maintenance policies to ensure equipment is working properly, and testing of emergency protective equipment like eyewashes and sprinklers. Foxconn has also engaged consultants to provide health and safety training for all employees. Foxconn helped to extend unemployment insurance coverage for migrant workers working in Shenzhen by advocating for legislation that will allow them to access the unemployment insurance scheme, effective January 1, 2013. This change has implications not only for those employed at Foxconn, but for all other migrant workers in Shenzhen. "The verification confirmed that Apple and Foxconn are ahead of schedule in improving the conditions under which some of the world's most popular electronics are being made," said van Heerden. "Apple and Foxconn's progress since the March assessment, combined with the additional actions planned through July 2013, would create the roadmap for all Chinese suppliers in the tech industry." Detailed status updates on each item from the action plans for the three factories can be found at http://www.fairlabor.org/report/foxconn-remediation-verification. FLA will continue to conduct verification assessments of the progress at the three Foxconn factories over the next year and will report results at www.fairlabor.org. ###
How it's made: Join us on a tour of the MK802 mini PC factory (video)
Getting to grips with the Android 4.0-toting MK802 mini PC earlier this month just left us wanting more. Luckily, ARMdevices.net recently took a tour of the Shenzhen factory where it's born to bring us a hands-on straight from source. The MK802 is one of a couple of devices we've seen recently, around the size of a USB stick and pre-installed with your favorite flavor of Android. And since its release, even those who aren't keen on frozen desserts have been toying with the little droid. To see a blow-by-blow of how it all fits together, hit up the ten-minute tour after the break, but don't expect Foxconn levels of glamour. As you can see from the painter at the beginning, Health & Safety isn't top of the agenda. [Thanks, Justin]
Apple preps two new retail stores in China despite Proview threats
Apple currently has five stores in China -- three in Shanghai and two in Beijing -- but the company is hoping to open two new flagship stores in Chengdu and Shenzhen to bolster sales in the country. At this point in time, China is a hot market for Apple, with the country accounting for a significant portion of the huge quarterly profit increase reported in April. There's only one fly in the proverbial ointment, however. A lawyer for Proview Technology (Shenzhen) told Reuters that if Apple tried selling iPads at a new store planned for the city, Proview would seek an injunction to stop it. Proview, of course, believes that it owns the iPad trademark and the two companies have been fighting it out in Chinese courts for months. Apple hopes to set up shop in the trendy Holiday Plaza mall in Shenzhen's Nanshan district. The company delivered documents to government officials on Monday, and government official noted that Apple only needs to submit an environmental permit before approval is given. Chengdu, which is in southwestern China, is also the target of an upcoming new store. In late May, Apple gained approval to set up a business to handle "retail sales and after-sales service." There's no word on where the Chengdu store will be located, but Apple is currently hiring for sales staff in both Chengdu and Shenzhen.
The Engadget Show 32: ASUS, Huawei and a trip to Asia's gadget markets
Yep, we went way out for April's Engadget Show, taking our film crew to Asia this time out, to check out the markets of Taipei, Hong Kong and Shenzhen with our very own Richard Lai. We also scored interviews with Huawei's Chief of Design, Hagen Fendler and Michelle Hsiao of the ASUS Design Center. We'll be checking out the month's latest and greatest gadgets, including the HTC One X, S and V, Nokia Lumia 900 and the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, as well as a big ole pile of KIRFs -- some more convincing than others. We've also got a couple of performances by Brooklyn indie rockers Suckers and a whole bunch more. Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater Guests: Hagen Fendler (Huawei), Michelle Hsiao (ASUS), Richard Lai, Guy Streit Producer: Guy Streit Director: Michelle Stahl Executive Producers: Brian Heater, Joshua Fruhlinger and Michael Rubens Music by: Suckers Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 032 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 032 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 032 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4). [RSS MP4] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. [HD RSS] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD. [iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format.
Fair Labor Association finds multiple violations at Foxconn facilities
The Fair Labor Association has announced the first results of its Foxconn investigation. The report documents more than 50 violations or policy gaps including excessive overtime, unpaid wages and low salaries that can't cover the workers' basic necessities. The results in this report came from a survey of workers in Foxconn's Chinese facilities earlier this year. Apple responded by saying, "We appreciate the work the FLA has done to assess conditions at Foxconn, and we fully support their recommendations. We think empowering workers and helping them understand their rights is essential." You can read the entire report at the FLA's website. [Via The Wall Street Journal]
Foxconn to hire safety, lifestyle pros at Apple factory
Life appears to be getting better for the thousands of workers who build our favorite Apple devices in China. Foxconn, the company that builds iPhones and iPads for Apple, is now hiring for several positions that are related to oversight of safety and lifestyle issues at its facilities. According to a Bloomberg article posted a few days ago, Foxconn has advertised for a safety and security officer, a lifestyle services manager, and two fire chiefs at a plant in Shenzhen, China. The lifestyle services manager is tasked with making sure that conditions at Foxconn dormitories, canteens, and health departments are up to par. Foxconn not only makes products for Apple, but for Dell, HP, Microsoft, and Sony. The company has opened up its factories to inspectors from the Fair Labor Association under pressure from Apple, and in February raised the base pay for starting workers by up to 25 percent.
Report: major creditor seeks liquidation of Apple opponent Proview
According to a Xinhua News Agency report, creditors are putting pressure on Proview to declare bankruptcy and liquidate its assets. Leading the effort is Fubon Insurance, a Taiwanese company that's seeking to recoup US$8.68 million from the struggling Chinese firm. Fubon employees have refused to comment on the report, but Proview lawyer Ma Dongxiao says the company's financial troubles will not effect the outcome of its iPad trademark lawsuit with Apple. The company has sued Apple in China over ownership of the iPad name and is seeking a monetary settlement with the technology giant. [Via The Washington Post]
China higher court hears Apple's iPad appeal
Apple and Proview went head-to-head in a Chinese court this morning. Apple argued in the Higher People's Court of Guangzhou that it owns the right to use the iPad trademark in China. Proview's lawyers argued that Apple bought the trademark from Proview's Taiwan subsidiary, not the one in Shenzhen. Proview Shenzhen claims it still owns the trademark and is seeking an out-of-court settlement. Legal experts cited by Reuters say this is a crucial case for Apple. The verdict of this higher court is usually the final ruling in China. Apple can appeal to China's Supreme People's Court and ask for a retrial, but these requests usually don't change the outcome of the original verdict. If Apple loses, the Cupertino company would either have to settle with Proview for a large dollar sum or change the name of the iPad.A verdict in this case is not expected right away which gives both sides time to consider their strategy. Legal expert, Jeremy Zhou of Joinway Law Firm in Shanghai, believes a long trial could lead to a settlement, which would be a favorable outcome for the cash-strapped Chinese company. The timing of this case is terrible for Apple. The company is about to launch the iPad 3, and a negative ruling could affect future sales of the device.
Introducing the original iPAD, Proview's late '90s iMac-like desktop
So, have you been following the iPad dispute in China? Wondering exactly who or what this Proview company is and what they're doing with a trademark on the iPad name? Well, wonder no more friends. The company actually stylized the name as iPAD, and it stood for Internet Personal Access Device. They hit the market way back in 1998 and weren't tablets, but all-in-one PCs that looked an awful lot like another machine that debuted that year -- the iMac. Over the course of a decade Proview produced between 10,000 and 20,000 of he 15-inch CRT desktops, before collapsing in 2010 and abandoning its Shenzhen plant, thanks in part to the economic crisis engulfing the globe. Most of its assets, including the iPAD trademark are now the property of eight different banks and its debts exceed $1 billion, which probably explains why the company is demanding so much money from Apple. For more details about the original iPAD and a photo tour of the deserted factory hit up the source links.
Hong Kong court allegedly sides with Apple in iPad name dispute
If you've been following the latest bub around the hub, you may remember Apple's recent scuff with Shenzhen-based Proview Technology -- the Chinese outfit that holds the local trademark on the name "iPad." Not only did Apple lose a trademark lawsuit for the iPad name, but some time later mainland government had the slabs removed from retailers in the city of Shjiazhuang. Now, Apple's claiming that a Hong Kong court has sided with it in a similar battle, saying in a statement to China Daily that they purchased "Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago," referring, perhaps, to the deal they made Taiwanese arm of the company, "Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple." Xie Xianghui, Proview's lawyer, shot back with his own statement, explaining that the court merely ruled that the trademark couldn't be sold to a third party before hearing ends, claiming that this move does not count as a ruling in Apple's favor. Xie went on to suggest the issue stemmed from Apple underestimating the legal complications of doing business in China.
Meizu MX launches today, lines dotted all over China as usual (updated)
This time last year we witnessed the Meizu M9 madness in Shenzhen, so we decided to pay our favorite gadget city another visit for the MX launch today (still the 1.4GHz dual-core model, of course). Surprisingly, the lines in Huaqiangbei this time were significantly shorter, but we were told that this was due to tighter security measures as requested by the local authorities -- if you've seen last year's photos you'll know why. Instead, this year the customers are told to line up only when they get a phone call; but a few keen beans still arrived last night, and the first guy in Shenzhen even turned down hotel accommodation offered by Meizu. Yep, that's how you do a "first" properly, folks. Other big cities in China also saw a similar phenomenon, including Beijing, Guangzhou and even Hong Kong -- it's hard to miss the long line formed along the south end of Sai Yeung Choi Street outside the new Mongkok store. Meizu also informed us that the MX's final hardware benefits from an improved camera (tweaked white balance and the lens now benefits from an oleophobic coating), while the software's been giving many enhancements since our review -- these are mostly the weird default settings we mentioned previously, such as the max clock speed out of the box (now at 1.4GHz instead of 1GHz) and the default video recording resolution (now 1080p instead of the weird 1,080 x 720 setting). Oh, and if you're still rocking the older M9, Meizu has confirmed that it'll also get the Ice Cream Sandwich update later this year, so stay tuned. More in the press release after the break. Update: A Meizu engineer confirmed on the company's forum that from now on, all Meizu Android devices -- including the M9 -- will receive both a vanilla OS build and a Meizu-customised build. That said, the phones won't support simultaneous dual-system, so you must pick your destiny. Thanks, Andi!
Qualcomm's two new 1GHz dual-core chipsets make S1-to-S4 migration easier for manufacturers (updated)
If the most recent batch of S4 chips from Qualcomm wasn't enough to completely satiate your thirst for new SoC's, the folks from San Diego are adding two more options to the already heapin' pile. At the 2011 Uplinq China Conference in Shenzhen, Qualcomm announced the MSM8625 and MSM8225 S4-class dual-core chipsets, both of which can clock up to 1GHz and pack an Adreno 203 GPU plus a 3G modem. While these numbers aren't relatively exciting at this day and age, the real selling point here is that these chips are actually software and hardware-compatible with the entry-level MSM7x27A and MSM7x25A S1 chips, meaning some of the existing S1-based designs can be quickly and easily adapted to these new S4 chips. Interested manufacturers can nab some of this new silicon from the third-generation Qualcomm Reference Design (QRD) program -- which was also announced today as Qualcomm enters the smartphone reference design business -- or standalone in the first half of 2012, but let's just hope we won't end up seeing too many familiar-looking phones. Press release attached after the break. Zach Lutz contributed to this report. Update: We just did a hands-on with one of Qualcomm's new reference designs -- the one we played with had Dianxin OS installed, but we also came across one powered by Aliyun OS. Neither were running smoothly but we've been told they were slightly rushed so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Anyhow, enjoy the photos. %Gallery-141412% %Gallery-141413%
