ABC’s Nightline Takes an Inside Look at Foxconn

When Tim Cook took over the reins of Apple, he stated that his mission was simple: continue the legacy of Steve Jobs.  Whether it was intended or not, as he strives to accomplish that not so simple mission, he has created something total new, something we have not seen from Apple: openness.  Don’t get me wrong, the doors at 1 Infinite Loop are not going to be thrown open for everyone to come in and check out Apple’s latest wares.

But there is definitely a new vibe buzzing around Cupertino.  Just ask ABC reporter Bill Weir.  For years, Bill has been asking to go behind the gated walls of Apple to check out for himself what makes Apple tick.  You can check out one of his many requests here.  Request after request was met with denials.  Then one day, out of the blue, Bill Weir finally received the phone call he had been waiting for, an exclusive behind the scenes look at Apple.  Bill could not have booked his plane ticket to China quick enough.  Tonight, Bill Weir and Nightline will take us inside consumer electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn’s facilities in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China. Below are photos from Bill’s inside look of Foxconn.

Recently, Apple has received a lot of bad press due to the alleged poor work conditions of Apple’s supply chain and their connection with Foxconn.  Even though Apple has been the primary target, they are not the only one to use Foxconn to produce their products.  Other customers of Foxconn include Amazon, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Motorola, Nintendo, Nokia, Sony and Samsung.  Since Apple is Foxconn’s biggest partner, Bill’s report focuses on Apple.  Still yet, Bill’s report is not a statement about Apple, it is a statement about the U.S. consumer and the demands and expectations we place upon companies such as Apple and Samsung to continue to develop, manufacture, and quickly produce more and more innovative products.

Enough is never enough for us.  We are constantly wanting bigger, better, and faster products.  To satisfy our needs and to keep the costs down so that an average U.S. consumer can afford the latest and greatest, someone has to pay the price.  Unfortunately, those who have to pay that price are the supply chain workers.  For those that have ever purchased a smartphone, tablet, and/or a computer, you should watch Bill’s report.  You can watch a preview Bill’s report and read about Bill’s adventure here.  It is an excellent read and worth your time. The full report will air on ABC tonight at 11:35pm Eastern Standard Time.