Google Glass will reportedly be built in America, at least initially

Google Glass will reportedly be built in America, at least initially

That $1,500 price tag for Google Glass Explorer Edition? Perhaps it makes a bit more sense considering that US labor will be used to manufacturer it. According to unnamed sources cited by Financial Times, the first run of production-quality Glass headsets will be built in Santa Clara, California. The reason? A lot is riding on the quality of Glass, and it's likely that Google just wants to keep a close eye on every single prototype that leaves the lab. In fact, it's not exactly uncommon -- the outfit did the same for its ill-fated Nexus Q, and Apple is building some of its iMacs here in the states as well.

It's also important to note that the initial batch of Glass headsets won't be high yield, so there's little reason for Google to look overseas with so few units slated for production. Whether or not the lines in NorCal will continue to hum once these things hit critical mass remains to be seen, but it is interesting that Hon Hai Precision (read: Foxconn) will reportedly manage the facility that cranks 'em out.

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Financial Times

Foxconn buys 9 percent stake in GoPro for $200 million

Foxconn buys 9% stake in GoPro for $200 million

Hon Hai Precision, better known as Foxconn, is already the world's largest electronics manufacturer. Chances are if you've got a laptop, console or smartphone it was assembled in one of the company's many Chinese factories. The giant has also gotten quite cozy with Sharp, with an eye towards investing directly in the LCD market, though no deal has been made official. Now the company is dipping its toes in the camera business, by purchasing an 8.88-percent stake in GoPro for $200 million. GoPro is best known for its rugged shooters used by shows like MythBusters, oh, and the Engadget Show! There's not many details to report at the moment but, if you're curious, there's PR awaiting you after the break.

Continue reading Foxconn buys 9 percent stake in GoPro for $200 million

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Foxconn announces $226 million half-year net loss, blames usual suspects

Foxconn announces $226 million halfyear net loss, blames usual suspectsManufacturing behemoth Foxconn (Hon Hai) has announced a record net loss of $226 million on turnover of $2 billion for the first half of the year. Unsurprisingly, it attributed the loss to the European debt crisis, global economic slowdown and its customers "continuous struggle" for market share. While it made a big push to encourage new customers, capacity far outstripped demand. In order to stem the tide, it's relocating some of its Shenzhen-based facilities to sites in Northern China -- and it's also in talks with carriers to become an ODM, building white-label smartphones in the same way that Huawei and ZTE do. While the loss isn't a rosy picture, the company does have nearly $2 billion stashed in the bank, so it shouldn't be worrying too much.

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Foxconn announces $226 million half-year net loss, blames usual suspects originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 06:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foxconn investment in Sharp looking less likely due to LCD manufacturer’s shrinking stock value

Foxconn investment in Sharp looking less likely due to LCD manufacturer's shrinking stock valueFoxconn's parent, Hon Hai Precision Industry, partnered up with Sharp earlier this year, taking a stake in Sharp's Sakai LCD manufacturing plant and investing another $850 million in the company. Unfortunately, that latter investment deal is in danger of dissolving due to Sharp's financial troubles. The Wall Street Journal reports that Sharp's shares have fallen enough in the months since the aforementioned agreement was consummated in March -- due to flagging sales and excess inventory -- that Sharp's given Hon Hai the option to back out of the deal. However, Hon Hai's still interested in buying ten percent of the Japanese company, and has expressed an interest in renegotiating the terms of the investment. So, it seems we'll have to wait and see if Sharp accepts Hon Hai's continued advances, but you can read more about the company's financial woes right now at the source below.

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Foxconn investment in Sharp looking less likely due to LCD manufacturer's shrinking stock value originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 17:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp reportedly getting cozy with Hon Hai Precision, helping to make phone and tablet LCDs in Chengdu

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If we believe Japan's Nikkei, the decision by Hon Hai Precision Industry (that is, Foxconn's daddy) to buy a stake in Sharp was really just the start of a long, torrid love affair in LCD production. While Hon Hai is getting the rosy side of the deal for Sharp's TV-oriented Sakai plant, it's now thought to be paying Sharp for display technology that would go into a new factory in Chengdu for small- and medium-sized LCDs used for smartphones and tablets. If all dovetails as nicely as the two would like, the joint venture would see advanced mobile displays manufactured on the cheap -- the best of both worlds. Suffice it to say that there's a few companies that might be interested, as clients like Apple are no strangers to Chengdu. Before you let visions of IGZO-based LCDs on every iPad and iPhone dance through your head, though, remember that neither Hon Hai nor Sharp has confirmed anything -- and that the plant wouldn't be up and running until 2013 at the earliest, even if everything's in sync.

Sharp reportedly getting cozy with Hon Hai Precision, helping to make phone and tablet LCDs in Chengdu originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Foxconn spending $210 million on Apple production line

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China Daily is claiming that Foxconn will pump $210 million into building a production line in China's Jiangsu province. Local authorities have stated that the plant in Huai'an city will produce components for Apple, no doubt heralding a raft of rampant speculation as to Cupertino's intentions. The building will occupy 40,000 square meters, produce $1.1 billion worth of gear per year and require 35,800 employees -- more than Nokia and Sony have fired in recent months, combined.

Report: Foxconn spending $210 million on Apple production line originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 09:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp posts $1.4 billion extraordinary loss, refocuses on mobile displays

Sharp posts $1.4 billion extraordinary loss for 2011 - 2012, sees writing on wall in high definitionSharp has reported an extraordinary loss of 117.1 billion yen ($1.4 billion) for the financial year ending March 2012. The company has cited restructuring costs and inventory losses as the causes for the write-down, but also projected that its TV business would lose a further 18.7 percent of its projected sales in the current year. The company has decided to convert some of its big-screen LCD production lines into mobile LCDs as it tries to reassert its dwindling display business. It's yet more bad news after the company sold part of its LCD manufacturing business to Hon Hai, Sony withdrew from a joint venture and refused to deal with Sharp in the future, plus an 86 percent collapse in profits.

Continue reading Sharp posts $1.4 billion extraordinary loss, refocuses on mobile displays

Sharp posts $1.4 billion extraordinary loss, refocuses on mobile displays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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