https://www.tomshardware.com/news/foxconn-reportedly-paying-huawei-workers-more-than-iphone-builders Skip to main content (*) ( ) Open menu Close menu Tom's Hardware [ ] Search Search Tom's Hardware [ ] RSS US Edition flag of US flag of UK UK flag of US US flag of Australia Australia flag of Canada Canada * * Reviews * Best Picks * Raspberry Pi * CPUs * GPUs * Coupons * Newsletter * More + Laptops + SSDs + Motherboards + Cooling + Desktops + PC Builds + Monitors + RAM + PC Cases + Keyboards + Headsets + Mice + Power Supplies + 3D Printers + Gaming Chairs + Webcams + Microphones + VR Headsets + About Tom's Hardware Forums Trending * Starfield Benchmarked * Radeon RX 7800 XT * AMD vs Intel * Learn Python When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. 1. News Foxconn Reportedly Paying Huawei Workers More than iPhone Builders By Andrew E. Freedman published 15 September 2023 The Mate 60 Pro and iPhone are fighting for market share in China. * * * * * * * Comments (4) Backs of the Huawei Mate 60 Pro in green and white (Image credit: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Huawei surprised the world when it released the Mate 60 Pro, its new flagship smartphone running on the Kirin 9000S system-on-a-chip. That chip is rumored to be made by China-based SMIC using a 7nm-class fabrication process, putting it into competition with Western chipmakers and phone creators despite US sanctions on Chinese companies. Now, it seems that Foxconn, a supplier and assembler for Apple and other tech companies, is reportedly paying workers more to work on Huawei's handset in its Shenzhen-based plant than it does working on Apple's iPhones, according to a report from the South China Morning Post. "The new hires will know what phone they are making after the factory allocates them to different teams based on current demand, but these days they have a higher chance of making handsets for Huawei," a recruiter for Foxconn named only by their surname, Xu, told the publication. Apple's iPhones are made by Foxconn's integrated digital product business group, or iDPBG. In contrast, Huawei's phones are made as part of the FIH group, which the SCMP explains works "under a subsidiary previously known as Foxconn International Holdings." The SCMP reports that FIH was offering 26 yuan (about $3.60) per hour, according to two recruiters, while the iDBPG was offering 21 yuan per hour (about $2.89). It's unclear if all of the differences are simply due to the popularity of the Mate 60 Pro in China. Xu told the SCMP that FIH employees are often paid higher but that the group that makes iPhones "typically offers better welfare programmes for workers than others," suggesting better benefits. Either way, a spring of new smartphones is entering the Chinese market, the biggest in the world. Huawei's Mate 60 Pro hit stores earlier this month, with Digitimes reporting that the company's orders for the phone have hit 15 - 17 million units. The Mate 60 Pro, running on a homegrown chip and Huawei's own HarmonyOS, has seemingly ignited a bit of patriotism in China, with images on local social media of massive lines outside stores selling the phone. In the meantime, China has reportedly repressed the use of iPhones for government work, though the foreign ministry suggested that China had not issued any policy or law to ban the use of phones from "foreign brands" such as Apple. Meanwhile, Apple announced the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lines earlier this week, with pre-orders opening earlier today. The two phones hitting so close together has created a competitive storm and requires plenty of workers to assemble them. Apple, like many firms, has been slowly diversifying its supply chain. For the first time, iPhones made in India will launch on the same day as iPhones assembled in China. Those Indian iPhone factories are also owned by, you guessed it, Foxconn. Apple's diversification comes in the face of geopolitical tension but also helps the company sell more phones in India without paying tariffs on the phones going into that country. Apple will undoubtedly sell its fair share of the iPhone 15 in China, but it's facing a homegrown challenger surfing a wave of technological nationalism. And for now, it seems that Huawei and Foxconn are willing to pay to make sure there's enough to put a Mate 60 Pro in every hand that wants one. Stay on the Cutting Edge Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news -- and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox. [ ][ ]Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands[ ]Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors[Sign me up] By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Andrew E. Freedman Andrew E. Freedman Social Links Navigation Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Twitter: @FreedmanAE More news AMD Radeon 780M iGPU AMD Posts Ryzen AI Software Platform Preview for Developers Huawei Huawei Says China-Made Chips Must Be Used, Even if Inferior Latest Lies of P AMD Releases RDNA-Exclusive Adrenalin Graphics Driver for Lies of P See more latest > See all comments (4) [ ] 4 Comments Comment from the forums * Co BIY What prices are these phones going for in China ? I'm guessing that the Mate 60 is a bargain compared to the Iphone - Because how could it not be cheaper ? Reply * hotaru251 Co BIY said: What prices are these phones going for in China ? using website base model of iphone 15 is CNY 6,929 vs the mate 60 base model CNY 5,093 Reply * Elusive Ruse Not surprising, the CCP is throwing as much money and incentives as they can to make Huawei a success, saving face is core to their beliefs. Reply * Co BIY hotaru251 said: using website base model of iphone 15 is CNY 6,929 vs the mate 60 base model CNY 5,093 Roughly $970 - Iphone 15 vs. $713 Mate 60. Interesting, Since few users will take advantage of the cutting edge features of a top of the line phone, let alone "need" them, I see lots of room to bump Apple. Both these phones are pretty expensive for the workers building them. I wonder if the workers with a brand X phone in their pocket have to hide them at work the way Chevy drivers working at a Ford plant have to park five blocks away off property. Reply * View All 4 Comments Most Popular [missing-im]Raspberry Pi 'Technoframes' Blast Custom Techno Music When Touched By Ash HillSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]SteelSeries Apex Pro Wireless Keyboard Drops to $199: Real Deals By Stewart BendleSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Starfield Perf Disparity Between AMD and Nvidia GPUs Analyzed By Aaron KlotzSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Samsung Slashes NAND Output by 50%, Prices to Slowly Edge Higher By Francisco PiresSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Huawei Allegedly Used Years-Old SK Hynix 'Ghost RAM' in Mate 60 Pro By Mark TysonSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Raspberry Pi Pico Keeps Unicomp Keyboards Clicking By Les PounderSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]TSMC Asks Partners to Delay Fab Equipment Deliveries: Report By Anton ShilovSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Intel Raptor Lake Refresh CPU Listings Show 4% Price Hike By Zhiye LiuSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Google Extends Chromebook Update Support to 10 Years By Andrew E. FreedmanSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Tiny11 23H2 Windows Released With Greater Functionality, Numerous Bugfixes By Mark TysonSeptember 15, 2023 [missing-im]Intel Core i5-14600K Benchmarked, Specifications Revealed By Anton ShilovSeptember 15, 2023 MOST POPULARMOST SHARED 1. Lies of P 1 AMD Releases RDNA-Exclusive Adrenalin Graphics Driver for Lies of P 2. 2 AMD Posts Ryzen AI Software Platform Preview for Developers 3. 3 Huawei Says China-Made Chips Must Be Used, Even if Inferior 4. 4 Nvidia Sold 900 Tons of H100 GPUs Last Quarter, Says Analyst Firm 5. 5 How to Play AAA Games on Your Raspberry Pi 1. Huawei 1 Huawei Says China-Made Chips Must Be Used, Even if Inferior 2. 2 Nvidia Sold 900 Tons of H100 GPUs Last Quarter, Says Analyst Firm 3. 3 How to Play AAA Games on Your Raspberry Pi 4. 4 China May Have Unmatched Supercomputer Abilities, Third Exascale Machine Apparently Online 5. 5 Monoprice 35-inch Zero-G Ultrawide Review: Solid Gaming Performance For a Low Price Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. * Terms and conditions * Contact Future's experts * Privacy policy * Cookies policy * Accessibility Statement * Advertise * About us * Coupons * Careers (c) Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.