According to a report from Red Star Capital Bureau on August 20, Foxconn is aggressively recruiting workers across multiple departments to meet Apple’s tight delivery schedule, offering new hires a sign-on bonus of 8,800 yuan. On top of that, employees who start earlier will also receive additional incentive pay.
The recruitment drive covers everything from component testing and assembly to quality control, with the main focus being to stock up for the iPhone 18 Pro series and Apple’s first foldable iPhone Ultra. It’s worth noting that while the bonus is slightly lower than last year’s 9,000 yuan, it’s still a clear signal that the peak season scramble for talent is officially on.
However, this bonus isn’t handed over in one lump sum on day one. It’s structured as a tiered retention reward, paid out in installments based on how long you stay with the company. To get the full amount, employees need to meet certain requirements around tenure and attendance. If you leave mid-way, you kiss the remaining installments goodbye. Those who start after August 14 can also stack an extra 500 yuan in early-arrival subsidies.
With less than 20 days to go before the official iPhone 18 Pro launch, this is the critical phase where Foxconn is ramping up production capacity. Renowned tech journalist Mark Gurman has previously noted, “Based on historical patterns, the most likely dates for Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra launch are September 8 or September 9. But since Labor Day falls on September 7, Apple might lean toward a travel-friendly gap day, which would be September 9.”
In fact, from late June to early July this year, Foxconn’s plants in Chengdu, Zhengzhou, and Shenzhen had already been putting out hiring notices in rapid succession. On July 7, Foxconn Ganzhou posted a recruitment article on its official WeChat account, looking for workers aged 18 to 50 to handle precision component production and processing for Apple phones. A day earlier, on July 6, Foxconn HR posted openings for temporary workers, covering the Longhua/Guanlan Apple A business group and the Longhua Sanying business group, with work hours concentrated from June through September.
The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series, set for a September release, includes a 6.3-inch Pro and a 6.9-inch Pro Max. At the core sits the A20 Pro chip, which delivers a significant boost in performance and energy efficiency, paired with Apple’s self-developed C2 baseband that supports 5G satellite connectivity.On the camera front, the main sensor gets a physical variable aperture for the first time, while the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses both jump to 48 megapixels. The Pro Max also features a 6x optical periscope zoom. Additionally, the iPhone 18 Pro series introduces new color options like Deep Cherry Red, and the Pro Max’s battery now exceeds 5,000mAh for better endurance.
Industry insiders widely predict that the iPhone 18 Pro will see a price increase. According to the latest smartphone market research from TrendForce, rising component costs—especially memory chips—are driving up the total bill of materials for the iPhone 18 series. For the 256GB variant, the estimated BOM cost is expected to jump by around 38% year-over-year, which means retail prices will inevitably go up. To avoid scaring off consumers, Apple might absorb some of the margin hit to keep price hikes moderate and protect its market share.
This wouldn’t be the first price bump from Apple. Back on June 25, Apple’s China online store raised the MacBook Air starting price from 8,499 yuan to 9,999 yuan—a one-time increase of 1,500 yuan. The iPad Air went from 4,799 yuan to 5,999 yuan, up 1,200 yuan, and the iPad Pro crossed the 10,000-yuan threshold, climbing from 8,999 yuan to 10,799 yuan. That round of adjustments definitely turned heads.
Maybe to soften the blow for consumers, in early August Apple raised trade-in values for a range of devices including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. The increases went as high as nearly 30%, with an average bump of 6.6%. For example, the iPhone 16 Pro Max trade-in value went from $695 to $720, the iPhone 16 Pro jumped from $560 to $630 (a $70 increase), and the iPhone 15 Pro Max climbed from $490 to $530.
Older models also saw their estimated values go up. The iPhone 13 Pro’s maximum trade-in credit rose from $260 to $285, the iPhone 12 Pro Max went from $220 to $240, and even the iPhone XR got a bump from $80 to $90.
Data shows that nearly 50% of iPhone buyers trade in or sell their old devices when purchasing a new one. By raising trade-in values, Apple might be hoping to keep fans willing to upgrade even during a price-hike cycle.
