Apple is working on a new smartphone refresh dubbed “iPhone 5C.”
This so-called “plastic iPhone” is believed to be a low-cost entry-level iPhone now in early production runs at Pegatron.
Regrettably for Apple, however, the information isn’t hitting the tech blogosphere under positive circumstances.
China Labor Watch discovered the “iPhone 5C” when the non-profit organization sent undercover investigators into a select few Pegatron factories to explore alleged labor rights violations.
During the course of the investigation, the plastic iPhone was observed.
“Today’s work is to paste protective film on the iPhone’s plastic back cover to prevent it from being scratched on assembly lines,” an undercover investigator shared in a diary entry highlighted in the new report. “This iPhone model with a plastic cover will soon be released on the market by Apple.
The task is pretty easy, and I was able to work independently after a five-minute instruction from a veteran employee. It took around a minute to paste protective film on one rear cover. The new cell phone has not yet been put into mass production, so quantity is not as important. This makes our job more slow-paced than in departments that have begun mass production schedules.
According to on-site and visual evidence obtained, the packaging material for the device clearly reads “iPhone 5C.”
