Dying for an iPhone

Apple, Foxconn, and the Lives of China's Workers

by , ,

Published by Haymarket Books.

ISBN:
978-1-64259-204-7
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(1 review)

Suicides, excessive overtime, and hostility and violence on the factory floor in China. Drawing on vivid testimonies from rural migrant workers, student interns, managers and trade union staff, Dying for an iPhone is a devastating expose of two of the world’s most powerful companies: Foxconn and Apple.

As the leading manufacturer of iPhones, iPads, and Kindles, and employing one million workers in China alone, Taiwanese-invested Foxconn’s drive to dominate global electronics manufacturing has aligned perfectly with China’s goal of becoming the world leader in technology. This book reveals the human cost of that ambition and what our demands for the newest and best technology means for workers.

Foxconn workers have repeatedly demonstrated their power to strike at key nodes of transnational production, challenge management and the Chinese state, and confront global tech behemoths. Dying for an iPhone allows us to assess the impact of global capitalism’s deepening crisis on workers.’

1 edition

reviewed Dying for an iPhone by Jenny Chan

Informative. Much is obvious, but still.

The only thing I want to really say is that I think one of the areas that I found a lot of new information was with regards to the treatment of student workers and internships. I have always understood the intricate links between industry and schools, but I was surprised by the kinds of coercion being utilised by regional governments, the CCP, and Foxconn against vocational students. I'm not surprised by this, but it definitely was a lot of new information.

Overall, I think it's a pretty good overlook at the ways that a lot of our global companies work. Not a happy read, but it's definitely informative.