Peek inside an iPod factory

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the fact that Apple and its closest competitor, Creative Technology Ltd., are locked in a patent battle over the must-have music device's technology. That, and the allegations about factory conditions in China, boost Apple right to the top of the heap when it comes to suspect successful companies with over-priced products manufactured at artificially low wages.

Before long "the music with be in you," with a music chip implanted right next to your RFID chip, which will send remote signals to the receiver/speaker chips implanted in your ears. That will cost even more than the iPod, will require a medical person to implant, and will be even more of a necessity than a cardcase-sized player that holds thousands of songs. . .

As long as we spend our incomes--before we earn them(credit)--on products we PERCEIVE or are advertised into believing are necessary(iPods and giant television sets and excessively huge houses), WE are responsible for the workers who make the products. The last cut in the "price cut" is profit: wages, benefits, standards of living, even jobs, are cut before one red cent of profit is forgone by a company to align their products' retail prices with the REAL cost of manufacturing them. We all pay twice. . . .don't you see?

It's the horrible exchange rate that the US dollar has against the Chinese Yuan that we should consider. It's artificial. In US dollars, the average Chinese income is in the neighborhood of $1000/yr.

Right now hundreds-of-millions of Chinese are moving from rural land into the cities where these factories are to work. Even at 50-60 cents per hour, these workers are able to send half of their earnings home to feed their families. These people couldn't care any less about owning an iPod. They just want to eat.

1.3 billion mouths to feed. 20% of the world's population on 7% of the world's arable land (that's land you can grow stuff on). My real question is, is this iPod city polluting nearby farmland and water?

Why is this not surprising. First its not surprising that Apple uses sweatshops, I never believed Apple is the magic morals company. Second, its not surprising that when Apple does this no one blames Apple, but when a company like Nike does this they get constant flack from most people. However, I do partly agree that this is not all Apple's fault. Its impossible to take advantage of people in the first world countries because our government protects us from it. However, its not like China can just all of a sudden get the urge to make all sorts of labor laws even if they wanted too. If they did they would instantly become uncompetitive with countries like South Korea and Malaysia and they would quickly lose their primary source of income which is manufacturing. So while this is all sad and everything and it can't be blamed on any one party, it is more of the fault of everyone and there doesn't seem to be anything that anyone can do about it that won't hurt thousands, if not millions, if not billions of people.

CJ you are right china is not america .. not even close but lets not compare poverty or exploitation either. I've pissed in holes here in the US and ate spit soup myself in good ole china town usa. If you look even closer you could find worst situation say around your city or town.

I work for a shoe company (in the US) that has factories in China. The workers who live there consider themselves quite lucky. China is NOT the United States. Some of our American employees have visited there and come back with stories about having eaten bird spit soup and having to urinate in "holes" (not so great if you are a female wearing pants with nothing to hold on to!). Please don't compare Apples to oranges.

Seems to me a big ole can of worm has been opened. GOOD!..Lets talk about it. As i put on my made in taiwan t-shirt lace up my nikes made in china and my oh so glorious fruit of the loom made in who knows where....

My school is within sight of one of the iPod factories. I can say that from what I can see (I don't daydream in class, I substitute staring at the shipments that leave the iPod factory) there isn't anything inherently evil going on. But, my school (and by logical extension, the factory) is in a neighborhood full of American people. In this way, it is appropriate to compare to US wages and US standards of living, because that is what exists there. It's that, or an hour-long commute to get somewhere where $50-$100 a month can actually sustain a family.

Why is it when we read about "sweatshops" it's always "women and children" who are exploited. When do you hear about men working in sweatshops? And don't tell me it's because they don't.

Apple doesn't build anything. They rely on contract manufacturers such as Foxconn and Flextronics. If these stories are true, the should be the ones taking the heat. I don't want to be too specific here, but I do work in this industry and can tell you stories of workers being forced to shop at the "company store" or live in "company housing" at inflated prices is outright bull$h!t.

It's all good, Timothy. Sarcasm tends to get lost over the internet...

I am glad that this conversation ended up being interesting and we didn't have a whole lot of ridiculous comments.

I agree with Dave and Rutger, both of their comments were interesting and worthwhile. Although the only people would call Rutger a "commie" would be people who didn't understand what communism actually is.

I say stars for everyone! :)

"$50 - $100 a month doesn't sound like a lot to us but it is enough to sustain the factory workers or they wouldn't be there."

"There" being the factory, where they LIVE. Jesus. Yes. Sounds lovely.