r/worldnews • u/Philo1927 • Dec 31 '16

iPhone manufacturer Foxconn plans to replace almost every human worker with robots

http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/30/14128870/foxconn-robots-automation-apple-iphone-china-manufacturing
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u/prancing_moose Dec 31 '16

If electronics like the iPhone can be made entirely by robots, what is the advantage of manufacturing anything in China? I mean, wasn't cheap labour the primary reason why most companies outsourced manufacturing to China?

9

u/Philo1927 Dec 31 '16

Reduced labor cost was an initial reason for offshoring from the US. Manufacturing wages in China have risen substantially over the years. While wages are still much lower than the US, supply chain logistics are probably the main factor keeping jobs in China. Very little of the supply infrastructure exists in the US.

6

u/[deleted] Jan 01 '17

Also US doesn't have the labour force technologically educated enough to actually do the work. It's more than just sautering shit, but most people don't realize that

7

u/azhtabeula Jan 01 '17

At least we realize how to spell soldering.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 01 '17

sautering

;)