The Next Killer Device for Electronic Components
Posted by Jenny Miller on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 @ 04:19 PM
Workers are seen inside a Foxconn factory in the township of Longhua in the southern Guangdong province May 26, 2010. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)
When we look at the world there seems like there should be some very black and white barriers in component manufacturing. One of those very firm lines should be that the work doesn’t actually kill the employees. This seems pretty basic outside of military operations, which is why it’s frightening to read on Cult of Mac that:
“A new report by the Hong Kong based advocacy group SACOM (Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior) says that an eleventh employee has died at Foxconn.
Unlike the last ten deaths, though, the latest reported death wasn’t a suicide. Instead, 27 year old Foxconn employee Yan Li died on May 27th after a continuous 34 hour working shift. Allegedly, Yan —who worked night shifts at Foxconn from 200 — literally worked himself to death.”
To read more of this article by John Brownlee, click here.
So, we have people jumping out of buildings and dying of exhaustion in an effort to supply us with our iPhones. When they say “Cult of Mac,” they aren’t kidding. That kind of demand dilates the pupils of business executives everywhere, and eventually leads the public to the inevitable question of what’s next.
In the CNNMoney.com article “5 Billion-Dollar Tech Gambles” huge investments are being made in five different tech areas:
- LightSquared’s 4G-LTE (Long-Term Evolution) Wireless Networks
- Solyndra’s cylindrical solar panels
- Watson’s computer that understands everyday human speech
- Tesla’s Model-S electric car
- Better Place’s electric car strategy
It is far too early to tell which one could be the silver bullet into the American (or World’s) hearts, but suppose that one of these huge investments paid off?
It is possible to follow their progress, and the progress of other tech giants creating new innovations. In our industry following these trends makes more than good sense, it means survival.
To be leaders in the world of electronic component distribution we have to be the best at forecasting and preparing for possible shortages. We need to be great at this so that our customers can be great at building the electronic devices that create their success.
If we take the Cult of Mac article seriously, lives depend on ample planning. At IC Trends, our experience and global connections make certain that when demand skyrockets, you have a source of components able to supply those needs.
