Rumor: Apple wants to see an alternative to its supplier Foxconn

According to the Nikkei Asian Review, quoting “unnamed sources,” Apple has advised one of its Chinese AirPods assemblers to make a major investment in an iPhone and MacBook metal casing provider, a move the California tech titan hopes will create a formidable alternative to another of its longtime suppliers, Taiwan’s Foxconn.

The article adds that Luxshare-ICT, a Chinese tech company, has been in talks with Catcher Technology, the world’s second-largest metal casing provider, for more than a year. The deal, if finalized, would give Luxshare the ability to produce high-quality metal casing as well as access to smartphone assembly knowledge, which would take it a step closer to becoming the Chinese version of Foxconn.

Foxconn is a Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer with its headquarters in Tucheng, New Taipei City. The company is the largest private employer in Taiwan and one of the largest employers worldwide.