The world’s largest iPhone factory, located in China and run by Foxconn, faces disruptions in 2022. That will likely filter through to Apple’s December quarter results. Meanwhile, analysts questioned the demand for the iPhone 14 from Chinese consumers.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook on Saturday used his first public comments on a visit to China to praise the country for its rapid innovation and long-standing relationship with the US iPhone maker, according to local media reports.
Cook was in Beijing to attend the China Development Forum, a government-organized event that has been reinvigorated after the country ended its Covid-19 controls late last year.
In addition to Cook, the event was attended by senior government officials as well as CEOs of companies such as Pfizer and BHP.
“Innovation is developing rapidly in China and I believe it will get faster,” Cook was quoted as saying by The Paper news outlet.
The visit comes amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington as Apple seeks to reduce its supply chain dependence on China and move production to new centers such as India.
Last year, production at the world’s largest iPhone factory run by Apple supplier Foxconn was severely disrupted after China’s zero-Covid policy led to worker unrest.
Cook also visited an Apple Store in Beijing on Friday, pictures of which went viral on Chinese social media.
During the speech, Cook also discussed education and the need for young people to learn programming critical thinking skills, announcing that Apple plans to increase spending on rural education programs to 100 million yuan, local media reported.