Bloomberg reports that Chinese authorities have placed an iPhone production plant in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen under a seven-day “closed loop” lockdown, in an attempt to curb COVID-19 infections in the area.
“Closed loop” means only employees who live on-site will be allowed to work, shutting down access from the outside and largely prohibiting anyone from leaving the factory.
A Foxconn spokesperson said despite the new lockdown, operations at the plant remain “normal.” Foxconn’s plant in Shenzhen is second-largest to the “iPhone city” in Zhengzhou, China.
The city government has asked its 100 biggest companies, including automaker BYD Co., networking giants Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp., and drone-maker DJI to restrict operations only to employees living within a closed loop or bubble, with little to no contact with people beyond their plants or offices. Authorities also asked companies to reduce unnecessary interaction between non-manufacturing staff and factory floors to reduce infection, according to a Shenzhen government notice seen by Bloomberg News.
The move could cause iPhone 14 supply concerns, as Foxconn is expected to soon begin mass production of the upcoming new iPhone lineup.
