Apple pushes for fully automated iPhone production

Apple has begun requiring that its devices be assembled by robots, DigiTimes reports.

For more than two years, the U.S. tech giant has been pressing suppliers to raise automation levels at their facilities. A high degree of automation on assembly lines has become a key condition for securing contracts.

Apple expects partners to finance the installation of robots themselves. The company has demanded that the assembly of all major products — iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch — be automated.

The corporation aims to eventually eliminate human labor from the assembly process altogether. Greater reliance on robotics would reduce dependence on human specialists.

Automation would also allow Apple to launch production in virtually any region of the world. Robots are expected to improve both product quality and consistency across factories.

The shift toward automation is part of Apple’s broader environmental strategy. By 2030, the company aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions, and higher levels of robotics are seen as a step toward that goal.