Following assurances from Foxconn that the coronavirus would not impact its production, it appears factory shutdowns are on the verge of doing just that and impacting iPhone output in the process, according to Reuters.
The Chinese government has told companies to shut down production until at least February 10, and Foxconn has stopped “almost all” production as a result. According to Reuters, a “source told Reuters on Monday that Foxconn has so far seen a ‘fairly small impact’ from the outbreak as it was utilizing factories in countries including Vietnam, India and Mexico to fill the gap, adding that the company will be able to make up for the delay if factories work overtime after the ban.”
The real concern is if production is stopped beyond February 10. If manufacturing remains stopped for weeks, a month or more, the impact to Foxconn’s output, and the iPhone specifically, would be “big.”
This is just the latest indication that the coronavirus could have severe implications across various industries as governments and agencies around the world struggle to deal with the outbreak.