At the Lixun Precision iPhone Assembly Plant in Kunshan, the new generation iPhone 16 series is flowing on the precision production line, and in a few days, these new phones will be delivered to consumers around the world.
On September 18th, a reporter from 21st Century Business Herald visited the production line of iPhone 16 Pro Max and saw the assembly process of the middle frame assembly line, new camera control buttons, as well as the upgrade of the packaging line and intelligent warehouse. The biggest change in the production process this year is the addition of camera control buttons.
Cui Yushan, Vice President of Purchasing Operations Management at Apple Asia, said in an interview with 21st Century Business Herald and other media, "Although it looks like a simple button from the outside, there are actually 9 parts in a tightly packed space inside that are assembled with high precision. On the production line, we see innovation not only on the outside of the product, but also on the inside
This is the result of joint research and development by Apple and the supply chain team, and Chinese companies undoubtedly play an important role. Chinese suppliers are definitely leaders in the global advanced manufacturing industry, "said Cui Yushan." Lixun is a typical representative, growing together with Apple. From only making very simple connectors more than a decade ago, to producing all of our most advanced products today
In fact, all the new products released by Apple last week were manufactured by Lite On Precision, including the full range of iPhone 16 models Apple Watch Series 10、 The Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a black titanium appearance, as well as AirPods 4.
On September 20th, the iPhone 16 series officially went on sale, and Apple and its industry chain are preparing for this year's peak season.
The supply chain behind 'highlight'
At this year's new phone launch event, Apple also began to aggressively roll up its graphics, emphasizing hardware and software upgrades. The biggest change is the addition of a camera control button, which can be called the "highlight moment" of the whole game. Apple has almost moved DSLRs into smartphones.
This button is equipped throughout the series and not only has a quick camera start function, but also supports exposure, depth of field adjustment, lens switching, and digital zoom operations. The surface of the button is made of sapphire glass, which can feel both pressing and touching. For example, pressing once can quickly start the camera, lightly pressing can turn on zoom and other options, and sliding left and right can adjust parameters.
The new button designed by Apple is somewhat similar to the "shutter" button on a camera, which automatically focuses when the shutter of a DSLR camera is pressed. Therefore, using camera control buttons on the iPhone 16 provides a visual experience similar to operating a DSLR on the phone.
Smartphones are now imitating cameras and further lowering the threshold for ordinary people to shoot professional works. Moreover, in addition to the original iPhone camera, Apple is also collaborating with third-party imaging apps to integrate this feature through camera controlled APIs.
Overall, in the field of imaging, Apple has chosen to add a new button this year to establish new interactions. Behind the interaction is the co creation with the supply chain. In the limited design space of mobile phones, how to add physical keys requires precise production coordination.
When it comes to the innovation and challenges of new buttons, Kaiann Drance, Vice President of Global iPhone Product Marketing at Apple, told 21st Century Business Herald reporters, "Firstly, there needs to be a lot of balance considerations in such a small button function. It needs to be both convenient to use and have a very user-friendly interface. Then, in the process of hardware and software integration, it also needs to ensure the maturity of the interactive experience, such as having a consistent experience with the Smart Island operation button. In addition, there are many sensors in the button, and many complex functions need to be seamlessly integrated
Specifically, this functional technology includes tactile switches that enable a touch experience, high-precision pressure sensors that support light touch gestures, and capacitive sensors that provide touch interaction. In a compact space, there are nine different mechanical and electrical components assembled together to work.
On the production line, camera control is mainly assembled into the phone frame. During the assembly process of the iPhone frame, more than ten technical processes such as pasting, pressing, welding, and fastening are used. The staff of Lite On Precision also introduced the core camera control assembly process to the reporter.
For example, the selection of key gap gaskets is achieved through a high-precision 3D laser system to select suitable gaskets, ensuring the consistency of the ultimate tactile sensation; The camera controlled welding process was the first to adopt laser seamless welding, ensuring seamless welding through multiple directions of pushing and pressing blocks. Overall, Lixun Precision's standardized and modular automated production lines have enabled the factory to achieve precision manufacturing processes.
The collaboration between Apple and the supply chain has become increasingly close. Cui Yushan said, "Lixun has a team of thousands of automation engineers who not only have good vertical integration in system assembly, but also in parts and modules. Now Apple also has a team of thousands of engineers in China, who will work closely with supplier teams on site and enter the factory and laboratory research and development together from the earliest product development stage
Mobile Innovation Competition Upgrade
The intensity of innovation competition among global mobile phone manufacturers can be seen from a camera control button. The competition among manufacturers is no longer just a competition of single point technology, but a systematic competition. How to strengthen advantages in the basic market, how to drive innovation in the supply chain system, how to accurately position oneself in the next era, and how competition in various ecological dimensions is upgrading.
Firstly, one of Apple's major features is the integration of software and hardware, which has always been the innovative foundation of Apple products. In fact, the design of the camera control button once again reflects Apple's concept of combining software and hardware.
A senior IT practitioner analyzed to 21st Century Business Herald reporters, "Apple's biggest advantage is the integration of software and hardware, and its innovation often occurs here. Whether it is the early keyboard, the previous Smart Island, or the current camera control buttons, they all look different in form, but ultimately it is the consistent combination of software and hardware. Normally, the keyboard is hardware, but Apple turns the keyboard into software; although the camera control buttons are physical buttons, they require seamless coordination between hardware and software, and these functions require deep software capabilities, including deep customization with apps
In his view, all hardware updates should be matched with software innovation capabilities, making hardware as simple as possible and software as powerful as possible. Apple does not emphasize hardware or software, and the concept of integration is always implemented. For Apple, the overall cost of innovation based on this foundation is also the lowest. However, the Android system and manufacturers are separated, and in some functions, they are not as well integrated as Apple. They are also striving to break down barriers and innovate in cross system interaction.
At the same time, the co creation ability of the industrial chain has also become a core capability, with Apple and Lite On Precision collaborating on camera control buttons. Since the beginning of this year, Apple has been continuously investing in China's supply chain, and many executives have also visited supply chain companies in China one after another. In July, Apple COO Jeff Williams visited Foxconn and Lingzhi Manufacturing's factories in Guangdong; In March, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited Shanghai, where three Apple suppliers - BYD Electronics, BlueThink Technology, and Changying Precision - showcased their intelligent manufacturing technology at Apple's China headquarters.
In addition, with a future oriented layout, AI has become a new competition point. From Apple's actions, it can be seen that they are systematically preparing for generative AI. In addition to the A18 and A18 Pro chipset, 8GB RAM, and Siri improvements, Canalys' report points out that the newly added camera capture button is a significant feature of the iPhone 16 series. It paves the way for deeper development of Apple Intelligence and provides new shortcuts and methods for users to interact with their iPhone.
Kaiann Drance told reporters, "For camera control, in the future it can also unlock more visual functions, such as when you walk past a restaurant, you can use it to learn about the restaurant's relevant information, or when you see a dog, you can use it to identify its breed
The comprehensive deployment of Apple Intelligence will take time, but Apple's advantages in hardware, software, and AI system integration cannot be ignored. TrendForce predicts that the total output of Apple's new phones will reach 86.7 million units in the second half of 2024, an annual increase of nearly 8%. With the global launch of new mobile phone products in September, the market will continue to be bustling.