NYU Student Went Undercover in a Chinese iPhone Factory

[@wrextuczivubinomnb]

wow this factory actually looks pretty good from the outside, better then the ones i saw in Guangdong

[@Slabfish]

I can't help but feel the mega corporations behind these sort of factories should be more responsible with the working conditions, no wonder suicide rates are so high in these places when you're placed under so much pressure, have negligble pay, and being forced in to a vegetative state deprived of any sort of entertainment or emotion. I just hope that when robots replace everything these workers aren't the ones getting fucked over.

[@ArtaherDuron]

Sean The Prawn Why do you people always bring up the company itself? Apple has no control over China labor rights or Federal set wages. If you want to point fingers point them at China local and federal laws. Not a company such as Apple.

[@lawlerzwtf]

Because without the client company, these manufacturing facilities wouldn't exist. Ultimately, Apple can come in, inspect, and demand changes to these facilities. They will pay extra for it, but they can do it. That's the point though, Apple doesn't want to force too much change because they know they will have to shoulder some of the cost of higher working standards. It's a symbiotic relationship. The factories need their clients, the clients need factories. As for robots replacing everything so that these workers aren't getting fucked over, well, they will lose their jobs. If they had better jobs available they wouldn't be working in these factories. Replacing them with robots will fuck them over harder than now because they will be unemployed and poor.

[@ArtaherDuron]

lawlerzwtf Nope, that factory is there to manufacture. It would be open if Apple wasn't a client, it would just contract another task to be performed... Lol clearly don't know how those businesses work. And no apple cannot come in and demand nothing. As long as they meeting their country federal regulations and ISO The International Organization for Standardization. There's nothing apple can force them to do.

[@lawlerzwtf]

Apple can stop building iPhones there. And please, there are tons of other factories. Sure they can find other clients, but Apple is a huge client, has been their main client for a long time, and everything they have has been set up for making iPhones. They can transition, they can find other clients, but nothing as big as Apple unless other big brands decide to expand and add more factories to their lineup.

[@mjwarlock]

lawlerzwtf apple has other factory.s pegatron has alot of building all over the world . worked at one of the factories few years back

[@robezy0]

i can understand his point of view, but people don't understand that these are normal conditions in China. when i taught in China, i gave primary students lessons for up to 7 days a week. I'm not saying that it's healthy but they are used to it. also be aware that there's no right for free speech in China so even having a system for complaints is quite developed. don't hate the player hate the game

[@RobFos]

normal doesn't always mean right. but I guess you forgot about that. - I can see people are losing their humanity and maybe the reason why this world needs a reset. our care and well being for other human being is non existent, and yet we are suppose to live with each other in this only world we have. humans these days are so assed backwards that if you allowed them, they would sell their grandmothers and humanity gets tossed out the door for the greed of money.

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Awesome video. Thank you Dejian Zeng for doing this. It's important that these practices in china are opened up to scrutiny. It's the only way china can be pulled into modern work practices. You should *_show this to Apple and get an response video._*

[@32bigde]

Very interesting. Wish they did a more indepth interview though.

[@Nivola1953]

In the factory i used to work as production manger I went through many audits by Apple on the treatment of workers and we had to change many policies to suit the rules set by the microelectronics companies community including overtime control.One of the check points was that the OT had to be totally on a voluntary basis, but the factory was not in China and apparently the same rules don’t apply there, why? And why Apple that was very strict with us is closing one big eye here

[@tonymurphy9112]

Just as I imagined the factory, not perfect but part of reality. Let's face facts people, you want to manufacturer in the USA, be prepared to pay three to four times more for an iPhone...

[@furgusuned15650]

Tony Murphy well if we did that money would stay in america... pros and cons for both I guess

[@therealist2000]

Not only that, none of the parts are our own either so that too is a problem

[@linusmlgtips2123]

Tony Murphy The cost of labor isn't that large relative to the parts for the rest of the phone. Not to mention apple doesn't spend nearly as much as, say Samsung, on their parts, so they make more profit. Apple could move to the USA and still make gigantic profits, almost as much as what they're making now.

[@lawlerzwtf]

Haha no Apple wouldn't make as much profits as they do now. This guy said the base salary there is $400 a month. He got a better deal with $450 a month. That's still less than 1/3rd of the minimum wage in the USA. Don't forget these Chinese workers are also doing very tedious labor at an inhumane pace. They probably don't have medical benefits either. They also have 60 hour work weeks with forced unpaid overtime. Just the difference in salary means that Apple will pay at least three times more for labor than they do now. Add to that the fact that they have to adhere with worker laws in the US and not everyone is paid minimum wage. That's gonna amount to something big.

[@violater7026]

lawlerzwtf 450 a month lol in the us Apple would have to pay at least 3K a month starting base

[@ayush0477]

Can we get another insider review for Samsung ?

[@slendy9600]

ayush sharma i also want this.

[@ChrisGruen92]

Do they get paychecks or direct deposit

[@doloresjagodic7868]

this is so sad

[@georgeorwell1564]

Dolores Jagodic - It is indeed. But it is unfortunately the reality of much of, if not most of factory life, whatever the product. Sadly, because of the high, perpetual and unfair global pressures of supply and demand in today's consumer-based world, the needs of the customer and thus of the product, will always take precedence over the everday worker. Very sad and hard to see how it will seriously change for the better in the near future.

[@doloresjagodic7868]

George Orwell i just cant beleive how we have gone so wrong as if we are not treating eachother like people anymore..

[@georgeorwell1564]

Dolores Jagodic - Agreed. Where there's money, there will always be somewhere (but not with everyone, as there are many, many decent members of society, who we shouldn't paint with the same brush) greed and lack, or even a complete loss of humanity. Money trumps people unfortunately. Well on the whole anyway. People only trump money in emergencies and during tragedies, when people realise what's important in life and then things revert back to the former quite quickly afterwards unfortunately. That's just the way life and many people/humans are, sad to say.

[@doloresjagodic7868]

George Orwell i love the way you think :) Sadly money does run this world and i dont wanna be here when people relaise we cant eat/breath it..

[@georgeorwell1564]

Dolores Jagodic - That's very kind of you to say, I like your way of thinking too. I think that the conclusion that I've reached, is the exact same one reached by a multitude of people the world over. It is unfortunately part of the cold realities of life. Unfortunately, money is just a bare necessity and makes the world go round. But hopefully we will never get to the stage where we could eat or breathe it, well I hope so anyway! As firstly, it probably doesn't taste that nice and lastly, I'm assuming it wouldn't be to the world's advantage, as once you can inspire/expire or ingest/defecate a currency, it would massively lose its value, as well as its hygiene! It gives "money in circulation" a whole new meaning!

[@thatRyzzle]

Very interesting. Next please: Samsung factories, or, you know, Apple's competition, whatever. I'd love to know all the facts first before I vehemently ignore all the bashing by the media on Apple and its products.

[@HeadbangMushroom]

most chinese companys are run like this, no matter if its apple or samsung. China is a poor country and business men will run it accordingly

[@bobzsq]

Samsung is moving its factories to Vietnam, where the average salary is only 40% of China.

[@knighthawk3759]

boboy it may be 40% of China but what is the annual cost of living in Vietnam I'm guessing it's probably more than a little less than China is. That's the problem with these videos it doesn't take into account the cost of living cost of living in China is lower than the cost of living in America so $450 a month may be enough for someone to be able to live decently if not comfortably

[@marekmaxpabianice]

concerned about the image of overpriced iphones?

[@debug_duck]

While it is true that a relative comparison would be nice to see, the absolute conditions in apple factories are not acceptable regardless.

[@semperfi9890]

Is this the factory with safety nets?

[@badusername723]

Yes

[@ziomel105]

Those were normal working conditions in country where im from (Poland). You will work this kind of ours, usually uninsured because our contry takes like 50% of money in all kinds of taxes. Only after you graduate from some kind of good university you might get to be fully employed and work like 8 hours a day but you still will have to work afterhours if your boss says so. You need to plan all free days month ahead of time... So yeah it is just how people work in many countries not just china. Also I used to work in Logistic Warehouse where temps were around 0-2 degrees celsius (32-35 Farenheit)and combined with no healthcare it was bad for your health because you could only take one 15min break from work. Some people in my company worked way over 300 hours a month, and earned as much as 300 us dollars a month.

[@hockeyboy5182]

島マット false information

[@gamezdude5544]

One day, the western world will have to compete with this.

[@Dat376]

60 hours a week, barely any breaks? Sounds like a software engineers life. Living situation is different though. sad. Also aren't robots still cheaper. 24/7. Maintenance is the only cost, and no employee add on such as benefits and taxes. It's also a cost savings if the robots are more precise.

[@itrytoplaygaming7596]

Dat Tran factory robots cost thousands of dollars to buy and maintain I think that's what he was talking about

[@einmensch6694]

You actually need specialists to maintain the robots, so the maintain cost is about the same as the pay for the workers, and even if it is a bit lower, it is still not worth it as stated above by ITryToPlayGaming

[@sonicmeerkat]

so machines don't use electricity now?

[@Dat376]

Electricity is so cheap i don't think it should be a key point.

[@Dat376]

Right the cost could be the same. And if the costs are the same bringing jobs to the usa for specialist sounds like a good deal. Also our worker would have better education and benefits. A thought though is where would chinese workers go if it's replaced by robots either in china or usa.

[@DucaTech]

iPhone X is more than $1000, depending on the storage. The average worker salary is $400/month, and he or she churns out thousands of these iPhones per month. This is why I cannot justify buying an apple product at full retail price.

[@rhys9957]

they care because they're legally obligated to care.

[@canned_doughnuts_5222]

‘This video has been taken down on copyright grounds by Apple ‘

[@vido1159]

Wait.. There isn't child labor? *GASP*

[@moomoomagee]

There's got to be a solution. That's inhumane

[@karriemtarver3129]

the new apple phone cost $900 aint no body giving no brake on that price in the usa. this is more then enough money to put usa works to work. dont give me that bullshit. they sell us high price products in the usa and take the job some were over sea. give us a brake on something dam!

[@aviahveredusa6099]

that is terrible! I'm glad I've never invested in iPhone!

[@markr7083]

thought he was going to talk about the next iphone..

[@jaygarcia6094]

Apple products are expensive, and Apple has made hundreds of billions, with all that money they can create jobs here and factories can come to the US only if the corporate overlords aren't so greedy, but we know that's not going to happen...

[@chiangliya]

Outsourcing has always been America's way to get cheap labour. Unrealistic promises just to win an election worked but in practicality it's easier said than done.

[@lawlerzwtf]

Well, Americans don't like to think. They just want to hear what they want to hear then vote on the person who made those promises.

[@geneshort8160]

this is absurd. he gives enough numbers to do the math and its disturbing.

[@MrShastymax]

Sweet... I have a handmade iPhone. 👍🏿

[@bobdon6214]

lmao there are worse companies in the states. 60-75 hr work weeks were mandatory. Dirty(and i mean DIIIRTTTYY), no A/C, loud, terribly unsafe and awful management. Serta Simmons Bedding.

[@andrewerntell4775]

So regardless of the Company, Mashable advocates "talking about the issue", not boycotting the product to improve conditions. Ad revenue before justice eh Mashable? This video stinks of a PR piece from Apple. " It's not great, but it could be a lot worse, so Apple is better" is the implied message.

[@lelandeggleston1041]

So they gave you money for your work,a place to sleep, and food. Oh ya that's shitty.

[@TomCorbett420]

lol no phone is allowed

[@gavinearls2935]

i work 11 hrs a day in ireland and i get 400 euro a month

[@rionhasolli9865]

No Chance at all! I worked in Ireland and my salary was 3400€ per month.

[@cbmracing499]

Just another reason I will never buy a IPhone!!!

[@queenluci6664]

this is yet another reason to hate apple.

[@brandonsweet8272]

If they hate it quit

[@alexpetersen4307]

without food they die

[@Lee_Lee1776]

America first. Fk iPhone and Nike. USA! USA!

[@dailyragemaker402]

So what's wrong with people who are actually dedicated to working? Work environments aren't the first thing to solve. Obviously something from the external economy of their land is pushing them to do these kinds of jobs. I'm very sick of hearing how poorly-treated people are and how wimpy the complaints become just because the work is difficult. Unless people want to destroy their economy even more a replace those jobs with robots, the jobs will always exist and their will always be a group of people willing to do it.

[@omaripenn8533]

I'm watching on a iPhone

[@Handle3649]

Thats it! Lets stop buying apple

[@2fortress4you]

undelcovel in factoly

[@syc9699]

The steamy Spy honestly his accent is way better than 70% Chinese who can speak English