You know, I used to have to explain what Foxconn was in these memos. Those days are gone. So I can just tell you that the company has invested 1.6 billion dollars in electronics maker Sharp and a joint venture that Sharp is running with Sony to build flat panel screens. Sharp has been in some trouble financially lately so this might be in part to buy an asset that can be had on the cheap. But the buzz seems to be that some groundwork is being laid here for Foxconn to be ready for the iTV, Apple’s schmancy new TV set that is expected to arrive later this year. Apple won’t confirm it exists yet, Foxconn won’t say that’s what it’s for, and we hate to pry, but if Foxconn has those components ready to slap onto TVs, they’ll get the contract to make them and will make more money off the prospect.
Then they can afford to give their workers some extra perks like tickets to Mike Daisey shows. “It will be a kind of magic!” said one anonymous worker, whom I totally talked to.
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