Dying for an iPhone: Apple, Foxconn, and The Lives of China's Workers

by Jenny Chan, Mark Selden, Pun Ngai

Suicides, excessive overtime, and hostility and violence on the factory floor in China. Drawing on vivid testimonies from rural migrant workers, student interns, managers and trade union staff,  Dying for an iPhone  is a devastating expose of two of the world’s most powerful Foxconn and Apple.
As the leading manufacturer of iPhones, iPads, and Kindles, and employing one million workers in China alone, Taiwanese-invested Foxconn’s drive to dominate global electronics manufacturing has aligned perfectly with China’s goal of becoming the world leader in technology. This book reveals the human cost of that ambition and what our demands for the newest and best technology means for workers.
Foxconn workers have repeatedly demonstrated their power to strike at key nodes of transnational production, challenge management and the Chinese state, and confront global tech behemoths.  Dying for an iPhone  allows us to assess the impact of global capitalism’s deepening crisis on workers.’ 

Genres: China, Nonfiction, Technology, Labor, History, Economics, Politics

273 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Silvana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wake-up call for consumers, not just Apple products but also Kindle, Samsung users and so on.
It is baffling (while at the same time, not really) to see how corporations (both main and suppliers) and governments (local and national) colluding in such inhumane practices. I read about the suicide jumpers in Foxconn factories a few years back but did not know the extent of the suffering. Then I also found out from this book about the mistreatment and forced labor of student interns, which broke my heart, really. The book could be better organized, I have to admit that, since some parts are repetitive or better integrated with others. Yet, it still makes me wonder how we as consumers can do better than just protests. First of course, we need to know what's behind our gadgets, the true human cost behind it, and then what? There were some examples of social movements in China, the US, and many more, but how to make them effective?

Back in early 2000 there were talks of Foxconn megafactory in Indonesia. In 2017 the plan was scrapped but what about their subsidiaries and so on? Lots of electronics corps have their manufacturing bases here as well. And then we just had that omnibus law to attract investment passed last year....My head is spinning.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sobering account of the human cost behind the gadgets we use every day. Collusion between tech companies, Foxconn, and the Chinese government keep factory workers overworked and underpaid, while suppressing their demands for better conditions. This book really reinforces the notion that corporate profit equals stolen wages. When a company like Apple is touted for "record-breaking profits", immense suffering took place extracting capital from the workers who created their devices.

[Sarah Ensor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foxconn technology group supplies US tech giant Apple with most of its finished products and is the largest private employer in China with around a million employees. The book describes how workers are recruited, their terms, conditions and pay and some of Foxconn’s relationship with the Chinese state.

Some of the grim details became widely known after a series of workers’ suicides in 2010 and include low pay, exhaustion from long hours exacerbated by compulsory overtime and cold, crowded and filthy housing.

The workers are also extremely young; student “interns” can be as young as 14, though 16 and older is more usual. There is nothing educational about their experience, it is just working hard for little money on a conveyor belt system. 

The vast majority of Foxconn’s staff are under 30 and hundreds or thousands of miles away from home. Often they share dormitories with other Chinese workers who don’t speak the same dialect adding to their loneliness. These conditions all contributed to the 18 known suicides and attempted suicides by Foxconn workers since 2010.  

Apple uses its hipster image to shirk responsibility for the work practices it tacitly demands to meet its product launch deadlines and tech specifications. It talks about corporate responsibility while demanding impossible production speeds at very low cost.  

The author’s show how Foxconn’s methods are a major part of the Chinese state’s restructuring and privatisation process. For instance, the state has provided very cheap building land, pays a hefty chunk of Foxconn’s recruitment costs, provides public buses for Foxconn’s exclusive use and pays schools to provide student interns. This reflects a major structural component of neoliberalism around the world -  the transfer of vast amounts of public money to the private sector.

Some of the most moving and powerful parts of the book show the workers’ resistance and how they unite against their bullying, violent managers and terrible conditions. 

The book represents 10 years of research with hundreds of workers interviewed. Reading it you could think that Apple, Samsung or whoever should be responsible and treat workers decently. Or you could decide capitalism and its system of accumulation for profit has got to go entirely, so that millions of ordinary people are not treated like cheap disposable robots for profit.

[Arin Goswami · Rating 5 out of 5]

It doesn't take much to realize that China is Communist in name only, other Communist nations like Cuba, Vietnam, the USSR, and North Korea have never spawned corporations anything like Alibaba, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Foxconn, but that's a gap that most in the West aren't able to bridge. Perhaps we take branding too literally here, we did believe that the Nazis were socialists for longer than most.

This book is a brilliant exposé on the lives of the working class in China, specifically those that are working on the manufacturing of products subcontracted by Apple to Foxconn. The stories are heartbreaking and necessary for anyone that wants to see the insidious nature of capitalism espoused by the tech industry. Definitely recommend.

[Razeen Muhammed rafi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dying for an IPhone: Apple, Foxconn, and The Lives of China’s Workers
Book by Jenny Chan, Mark Selden, and Ngai Pun

If you ask anyone What’s your next dream Phone ? majority will answer it’s Iphone 12. If you ask a employee in Foxconn in China who manufacture’s Iphone  They will tell need a good and better work conditions.

This book discuss on Suicides, excessive overtime, hostility and violence on the factory floor in China. Employees  in this factory miss their family and have to work overtime without sleep in unhygienic condition and Hazard are even denied their pay. This book open our eyes on modern capitalist atrocity ..

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't want to rate this book too low, because the actual information in it is fantastic. It includes some truly moving, first-person accounts of life in Foxconn's China facilities, as well as heart-breaking poetry from workers, some of whom went on to commit suicide because of their treatment there. It also includes really solid research work into macro-level company, industry, and country data around labor in tech and labor rights.

However, it's written much more like an academic text book than a general audience non-fiction work. Again, the information is comprehensive, useful, necessary even. But it isn't a fast or particularly engaging read.

[Degenerate Chemist · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dying for an iPhone" is an amazing look at corporatism in action in a nation that does not have the same legal protections we have in the West. It is as much a warning about the human cost of our demand for cheap electronics as it is a horror story of the effects of no government regulation on an industry.

This book is about the workers of Foxconn, the corporate culture they are subject to, the hazards they deal with in the workplace, and the alliance between Apple-Foxconn and government authorities to keep that money rolling in.

[Agnes Erlandsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intressant läsning, stundtals repetitivt, men bra överblick av industrialiseringen i Kina och Foxconns arbetsförhållanden under press från västvärldens konsumtionssamhälle. Får en att må illa när man tänker på alla som köper nya iPhones varje år och samtidigt är man inte helt oskyldig själv. Tankeställare!

[Tineka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book. It's a thoroughly researched exploration of iPhone factory working conditions and the corporate-government partnerships that make them what they are. The authors repeatedly point us to the role Apple plays in setting expectations for working conditions.

[Tyler Polius · Rating 5 out of 5]

real eye-opener to the horrors and atrocities that go into the production of our electronics. incredibly shameful how well this is hidden away from us, despite us being so reliant on it. thoroughly recommend reading this.

also very interesting to learn more about the interaction between the state and businesses in China

After reading this I don't want to buy a first-hand electronic again

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Apple fan and someone who aspires to be a reasonably progressive and thoughtful person, I've been living with some cognitive dissonance for awhile. I'm not entirely certain what to do differently going forward, but I do feel this book highlights some important things.

I've largely skimmed big articles and exposes about Foxconn and Apple, in part because I felt like perhaps they were unfairly targeting one company when the issues are endemic. However, given Apple's leading role in the consumer electronics space and its gobsmacking profits, Chan et al give strong reasons for focussing on Apple, and they make a point to acknowledge that this is not simply an Apple problem, especially since Foxconn itself manufacturers products for numerous other industry giants.

The book explores several angles that I hadn't encountered before. The exploitation of student labour in particular is disturbing, and I hadn't been fully aware of the dynamics of internal migration (and the lack of rights associated with it) in China, nor of phenomena like the captive 'unions'. I know Foxconn workers are largely migrants from other parts of the country, but I was (I suppose ignorantly) taken aback by their lack of rights to public services in their new cities, and how these workers have uprooted their lives and sacrificed their health not even for what would be considered a 'decent factory paycheque' in relative terms, but rather basically minimum wage.

At its heart, the book conveys one of the simple truths that we have to get through our head when it comes to Silicon Valley, the tech industry, and consumer electronics: these products don't get made without people being exploited. And for all the talk of corporate social responsibility and gradual, iterative improvement, not nearly enough is being done. It's hard to look at the industry-leading profit margins Apple enjoys and its unparalleled hoard of cash and consider these labour problems unsolvable. It would take relatively little effort and seemingly minuscule corporate sacrifice for Apple to ensure its subcontractors are at least treated with the dignity and the safe working environment they deserve.

[Nick DeFiesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells you the deadly cost of your phone. The brutal, degrading labor that went into producing enough iPhones and iPads and Macbooks to meet holiday consumer demand. One part of me wishes it could've been a little more succinct, could've hit you a little bit harder in the face with the central theses; much of the time, it reads like a business case, or a college thesis. But presenting that information in totality is effective. (I also wish it had suggestions for the average consumer to work in solidarity with international labor movement, but this is not that book.)

[James Danko Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone with a penchant for tech gadgets, this book was an incredibly harrowing look at how the sausage is made. The amount of human suffering, along with the subsequent waste and environmental harm, that goes into keeping up with the demand that companies like Apple create is horrendous. Highly recommend this book as I think awareness of what goes into the devices we clamor for is important

[Claire Binkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's never good to assume that you've already read the contents of a book before you've actually looked into it. That is something you learn when you are like four or five, right? Isn't the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover?"

So, although at first I thought this book might have been a psychological challenge to read because I clearly remember having problems with suicidal ideation from medication before (the author's mention of that kind of thing was not as upsetting as I imagined it could be), it just describes the story of a few worker guys from an iPhone factory in Shenzhen who had a pretty bad day, and it treats those who lost their lives in a tasteful and respectful way. I thought it was important to read about what has been happening to these people.

Did you ever play one of those factory games on the computer? Weren't they addicting? I think I have played several, but I don't remember any of the background music besides Korobeiniki. That's what this book reminded me about, in the end.

[Julien · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating read. All I could think while reading page after page was..."this sounds like some effed up labour exploitation that I would hear about in America." I know that labour exploitation is global, but living in North America, I feel inundated constantly with news of labour disputes and issues in the US - prison labour and what not.

This is a massively eye opening piece of literature documenting the types of exploitation created by the global capitalist system in China. This book could not have been better timed as there is recently more renewed interest in socialism, more class consciousness, more unrest, and more people curious about "socialist" states than ever. However, if you lean towards anarchism like me, then you know there is absolutely nothing "socialist" about China, and this book has been critical in advancing my understanding and deepening my position on that stance.

This book will crystallize the ways in which multinational corporations and the Chinese state are cooperating to exploit Chinese workers. It is truly a team effort, impossible without each playing their integral role. Global capital is global capital and China is in no way shape or form immune from the relentless profits sought by multinational corporations at the expense of the working class. China is, and has been for quite some time, the labour exploitation playground if global capital.

If you are looking for a book to help shine a light on how that process is unfolding in the new "manufacturing capital of the world" - look no further.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sat on this book for a couple of years, allowing it to just collect dust in my closet. I had a sudden urge to pick it up last night and I’m really glad I did.

Capitalism runs us to the ground and off the ledges. This was a tragic look into the labor exploitation of Chinese workers by Foxconn, Apple, and so many other tech corporations and the horrific consequences of putting profits over people in today’s technology-dependent world. This book also explores the struggle for worker’s rights in China and features many self-written poems and descriptions of the Foxconn worker experience by Chinese factory workers themselves.

It was an eye-opening and reflective read, often leaving me feeling sullen and mournful over the lost lives of workers who deserved to be treated like humans—not machines.

[sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really informative book that talks about the price of modern technology. I knew nothing about Foxconn before delving into this, and I'm glad that I'm now informed about their immoral practices. I will say that this book was very comprehensive; it covered so many different issues with Foxconn in only 200 pages. However, I did find myself wishing at times that the authors delved deeper into certain issues rather than trying to cover everything in one book. For instance, the chapter about labor strikes, walk outs, and slowdowns, was so interesting and I wish I could have learned more about that, especially from the point of view of the workers that were involved.

[Anny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A sobering look at the true cost of our modern technology. While Apple became one the most profitable company in the world and Steve Jobs was lauded as god of Silicon Valley, hundreds of thousands of assembly line workers and interns were exploited and worked like slaves to the point of suicides.

The book was quite short and it read more like a UN report than a journalist expose. Still recommended because I think everyone should be aware of how ruthless companies can be in pursuit of profit.

[Maja Antic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative read, yet still easy to comprehend. Read for a class but really found parts of it interesting. Knew a bit about the Foxconn suicides but this book went more in depth about the working conditions and issues faced by the workers. Apple chapter was good.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book that provides insight into how Foxconn, the company contracted to make iPhones, mistreats Chinese workers in conditions that resemble a capitalistic nightmare.

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

It gives us a different perspective to see the company Apple and its products

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great expose on just how horrendous a capitalist system can be, especially for the lower-level employees who have no other choice, and who everyone turns a blind eye to.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book. Most startlingly was China despite being communist and supposedly a people's republic is anything but. It was shocking to me how workers in a supposedly communist state do not have simple protections, and how they are repressed for trying to form unions or go on strikes. Why isnt there a federation of trade unions under a communist government? Because china, like the west, is as deeply entrenched in neoliberal policies of greed and corruption that they too suffer from lack of representation by their chosen delegates who only care about money and enriching their personal lives.

Like all good books it leaves me with more questions than answers. Was there ever a time when the unions and labor organisations held power? And if so how did they lose it in a supposedly communist state? How do the chinese people reconcile what their state is supposed to be with what it is? Also, the book does a good job of showing the many labor movements that are taking place there and how we might be able to find common cause with them.

The book uses as its central image the suicides of workers who jumped from factory rooftops to their deaths because of working conditions. Rather than fix the conditions suicide safety nets were put up around the building. That central image comes back again and again in the book. The authors weave the facts and figures with personal stories and poetry from the workers themselves. Effective for not only showing you the suffering there, but making you conscious of how said suffering came about not through culture, or government, but through economic policies that espouse profit over people(yes that was a Chomsky allusion).

Worth checking out.

[Montana Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the perspective of researchers embedded in factory workers’ lives, this book shows the incredible predation of capitalism on the most marginalized workers in the world. Foxconn, a manufacturing company employed by Apple and other big tech companies, exploits their workers to the point of despair; lying, misleading, and abusing their workers and student interns to meet quotas of production. This is a solid introduction to these horrors and to the effects of globalization in China, with a strong support for workers and workers’ rights to have dignity and humane working conditions.

[Julia Oles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting exposé of the horrendous working conditions workers face in China, all for a product that is so popular and coveted across the world. Is our consumerism really worth putting people through this kind of torture? Makes me feel pretty guilty for owning an iPhone…

An interesting read but nothing crazy.

[Cruise09 · Rating 5 out of 5]

个体故事。