Apple improving factory conditions in China, still no place you'd want to work
Working conditions at the Chinese factories operated by Foxconn, where vast amounts of the gadgets used around the world are made, including Apple's iPhone and iPad, are improving. Granted, that's going from truly terrible to slightly less bad, but it's movement and momentum in a direction decidedly better for the people who make the stuff that we use. That according to Keith Bradsher and Charles Duhigg, writing as part of the New York Times' iEconomy series.
The iEconomy series itself seems to have changed as well. Apple isn't in the title of this article. Cynically, it's possible that an article about improvements doesn't benefit as much from the added sensationalism. Optimistically, it's possible that the NYT realized their focus on Apple was undermining the seriousness of the very real problems they're covering. (Though Apple enjoys the positive effects of the massive amount of attention they're given, and being singled out for criticism is the equal and opposite edge of that sword.)
Yet working conditions remain arduous, and problems multifaceted.
It's a complex social and economic issue, and one that will take massive global, perhaps generational, changes to solve. Hopefully the improvements continue, and the effects ripple.
Source: New York Times
Master your iPhone in minutes
iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!
Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.