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Cellphones China Technology

Samsung Ends Mobile Phone Production In China (reuters.com) 71

Posted by BeauHD from the world's-biggest-smartphone-market dept.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Samsung has ended mobile telephone production in China, it said on Wednesday, hurt by intensifying competition from domestic rivals in the world's biggest smartphone market. The shutdown of Samsung's last China phone factory comes after it cut production at the plant in the southern city of Huizhou in June and suspended another factory late last year, underscoring stiff competition in the country. The South Korean tech giant's ceased phone production in China follows other manufacturers shifting production from China due to rising labor costs and the economic slowdown. Sony also said it was closing its Beijing smartphone plant and would only make smartphones in Thailand. Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, said it had taken the difficult decision in a bid to boost efficiency. It added it would however continue sales in China "The production equipment will be re-allocated to other global manufacturing sites, depending on our global production strategy based on market needs," Samsung said in a statement.
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Samsung Ends Mobile Phone Production In China More

Samsung Ends Mobile Phone Production In China

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  • when slave labor costs too much.

    • Re:What to do... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Rosco P. Coltrane ( 209368 ) on Thursday October 03, 2019 @09:16AM (#59264942)

      Yep. That's the problem when poor countries get better off: multinational simply move to the next poorest country to find cheaper wage slaves.

      The problem will correct itself when the last poorest country gets richer. But right now, there are plenty of ultra-cheap wage slaves to go around.

      Welcome to the unemployment club China!

      • Your misuse of the word "slave" does a disservice. Nobody is forcing these folks to work and the new jobs dramatically improve the quality of life for everyone in the areas the companies move to.

        • Your misuse of the word "slave" does a disservice. Nobody is forcing these folks to work and the new jobs dramatically improve the quality of life for everyone in the areas the companies move to.

          Yeah, because slaves don't suffer mental illness or commit suicide at alarming rates.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by guruevi ( 827432 )

            What does that have to do with anything? Mental illness and suicide rates are actually a bigger problem in the richer countries.

          • Yeah, because slaves don't suffer mental illness or commit suicide at alarming rates.

            Where was your mobile devices made? Where was your home/work computers made? Where is most of the products you use day to day made from?

            Most likely China. Even if not from China, some other Asian nation. Your use of those products without even acknowledging where they made makes your statement and position bull shit. Who are you to judge these peoples lives when you use the products you say were manufactured using

          • > Yeah, because slaves don't suffer mental illness or commit suicide at alarming rates.

            You appear to to be implying that working at the mobile phone factories increases suicide rates. Perhaps you've heard people bleating about "suicide nets" and want to sound woke.

            If you knew that the suicide rate at Foxxcon was lower than the population average would you continue to insist on a causal link? If you were running a company and could install some nets to save the lives of some of your depressed employees a

        • Slaves are not the lowest; it's actually misleading in a positive way:
          As an actual slave of a corp they'd not have much less freedom than some countries afford; however, as company PROPERTY they would be treated far better being thought of as an asset (that is until the end, where writing off a loss quickly promotes many bad things...)

          As poor serfs, you are a RENTAL and they work you to death without consequences and you can tolerate more than a slave would by your own choice if you are desperate enough. It

        • Wanna bet? It's CHINA! The country that when you are executed, they make YOUR family pay for the ammunition. The same country that has a "social" credit score, so if you jaywalk, say something bad about the government, they can restrict your travel and other things. The same country that sends people to "reeduction camps" to get their minds right. The same country that executes those that have different views on religion (in their country, the state, is their God). No, they aren't "forced" to work...that'

      • Re:What to do... (Score:5, Interesting)

        by starless ( 60879 ) on Thursday October 03, 2019 @09:51AM (#59265048)

        Yep. That's the problem when poor countries get better off: multinational simply move to the next poorest country to find cheaper wage slaves.

        Surely this a good thing - the poorest people need the work the most.
        So, capitalism is essentially working in a socialist way to help the least economically well off after getting the previous
        group started on a path to greater prosperity.
        And the people are not slaves, they are choosing to work in these places.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Anonymous Coward

          I love the word "choose" in this context. People "choose" to work otherwise they will starve or be on the streets.

          • In socialist states, people don't even have the choice to work. Typically they just starve.

          • Re: (Score:3)

            by jwhyche ( 6192 )

            I love how you "choose" to hide your identity instead of owning your post..

            Yes, they choose to work these jobs because the alternative is to starve in the streets. An this choice allows them to make other choices later. Like to have a family with children they can send to school so their children can have the choice of a better life. Which can lead to better choices for later generations.

            Of course that is unless socialist choose to take these choices away from them.

            • Comment removed based on user account deletion

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by jwhyche ( 6192 )

                Blah blah blah ... [socialist excuses and bullshit snipped]

                Don't you love how some socialist will come in and quote verse and chapter from the socialist manfesto, spouting the same tired bullshit over and over. While they are quick to dismiss plans that don't tow the socialist agenda, they never had a workable plan that doesn't rely on magic hand waving. An another thing they like to point out is flaws in the capitalist system, such as corrupt politicians. but just ignore the fact that under a socialist system these problems are often far worse.

                Under a regu

                • Comment removed based on user account deletion

                  • Re: (Score:3)

                    by jwhyche ( 6192 )

                    Blah blah blah,,,, blah blah, blah...blah blah

                    Here we have where the dedicated socialist attempts to solicit support by pretending not to be a socialist. You will also note the part where he attempts distraction by declaring the greatest economic system ever devised by man is that way through corruption and not hard work by its citizens. A statement that is funny at best, but it does show the limited thinking of one that has been brain washed by the socialist agenda.

                    It is worth addressing the issue where he declares the economic of the United Sta

                    • Re: (Score:3)

                      by jwhyche ( 6192 )

                      If I had no way to refute his post I'd probably try the same misdirection bullshit you just did. Play the hand you're dealt I guess. Better luck next time.

                      I'm sorry but class was already dismissed on this issue. If you have any questions please wait for the next class opening. A schedule will be posted.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by MikeMo ( 521697 )
            They will continue to do whatever they were doing before the capitalist company came along and improved their lot by offering higher paying jobs.

        • Re:What to do... (Score:4, Informative)

          by Rosco P. Coltrane ( 209368 ) on Thursday October 03, 2019 @10:31AM (#59265190)

          Wage slaves can't choose where they work. In theory, they're not forced to work (like with a whip), but in practice they are. The fake choice is an illusion maintained by ultra-capitalists to hide the fact that the workers are slaves in all but name - hence the creation of the term "wage slave".

          • So there's a magical land where no one has to do any work and everyone lives for free? Historically the only people who did this were only able to do because they kept actual slaves.

            The extent to which this magical place exists where no one is forced to work, is only the extent to which society can be so productive that it is capable of supporting those who aren't or can no longer productively contribute to society. The types of systems that try to explicitly push this as a goal are usually the ones that
          • People said the same thing about the Chinese when U.S. manufacturing jobs got outsourced to China. Average wages in China have increased tenfold [tradingeconomics.com] since the process began in the mid-1990s (click on MAX to see the full historical graph). From about 8,000 CNY/yr in 1995 to over 80,000 CNY/yr today. China's middle class is growing [businessinsider.com], while the percentage of Chinese in poverty is shrinking. Precisely the opposite of what you're claiming.

            You're right that wage slaves can't choose where they work. That's why

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by lgw ( 121541 )

          Came here to say this.

          If you're determined to see everything in a bad light, you see a race to the bottom. But objectively, it's also a race to uplift the poorest, and bootstrap a local economy.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by jwhyche ( 6192 )

          Surely this a good thing

          It is. The socialist and globalist just don't want you to see the truth. Here is the truth of the matter. When a company moves production to a place where labor is cheaper the standard of living goes up for everyone in the area. Crime goes down and the quality of life goes up, for everyone because money comes in to the local economy.

          What the socialist want you to think is because they are paid only a few dollars a day that they do not make a enough money to live on. Which, of course, is a lie. What

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by jwhyche ( 6192 )

            Mod correction. The above post should be moderated as +1 Informative. Please mod responsibly.

      • Welcome to the unemployment club China!

        Be careful. There are plenty of other countries who went through the unemployment club. The end result is they moved from competing on cost to competing on quality. It's bad enough that Japan had ripped away a chunk of manufacturing from the USA when they went through this process. Imagine a country with a billion people doing the same.

      • Yep. That's the problem when poor countries get better off: multinational simply move to the next poorest country to find cheaper wage slaves.

        No, that's what happens when your spending goes to a country modernizing and expanding its military to bully its regional neighbors including yourself. At some point you just have to stop funding your bully. Stop funding the people that think you should be a vassal state because thousands of years ago some emperor conquered your ancestors.

    • samsung will get banned like Winnie the Pooh

    • China can not be near the bottom forever; progressing forward creates new problems.
      China may be doing a smarter version of empire building by learning from history but nobody had to face automation and global warming limiting how low you can go.

      Robot = slave. the perfect slaves are just not smart enough yet.

      THINK about it, slaves are not the ideal or the lowest one can go. They always have significant maintenance and acquisition costs! Peasants, serfs, the indentured, are always the cheapest because the re

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by AHuxley ( 892839 )
      Try Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Malaysia.

  • Our president's action has had a hand in this... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by bogaboga ( 793279 ) on Thursday October 03, 2019 @09:12AM (#59264932)

    The statement:
     

    Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, said it had taken the difficult decision in a bid to boost efficiency.

    Should have read:

    Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, said it had taken the difficult decision in a bid to boost efficiency, with president Trump's tariffs toward China hastening Samsung's action.

    Well done Mr. President. That deficit will now be lower for sure.

    • How will where a South Korean company makes its phones affect the US trade deficit?
      • It will increase the deficit with SK more than it decreases it with China. The reason I say that is that if production moved because of the tariff, that means production was cheaper in China than it will be in SK, or they would have moved before. That means the phones will cost US consumer more now, thus, increased trade deficit.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Shaitan ( 22585 )

          "that means production was cheaper in China than it will be in SK"

          Of course it was but that is due to currency manipulation and poor working conditions. The economics get difficult to follow because it isn't really about the trade deficit directly, fiat currency can be created at will after all. The lopsided arrangement encourages Chinese industry and trade secrets flowing to China while discouraging anything originating in China from flowing back to the US, things of actual value and not just transactional

        • The trade deficit per se is not the problem. The problem is that the huge trade deficit with China is a STRATEGIC liability, and not just economically, but militarily. China wants to control all of Asia. The bigger the trade deficit with China, the more powerful we make them. Would you rather live in China or South Korea?

      • Well if it's moved from China to SK or Vietnam or whatever then of course it doesn't affect the global US trade deficit (although it will affect the one with China)
        If it's moved to the USA, then it reduces the global trade deficit isn't it?

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by leonbev ( 111395 )

          Something tells me that the Trump administration wouldn't be happy if they moved that manufacturing to North Korea instead, sending all that manufacturing revenue to a different quasi-Communist government that doesn't get along well with the US. It would probably make sense logistically, though.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Nidi62 ( 1525137 )

      The statement:

      Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, said it had taken the difficult decision in a bid to boost efficiency.

      Should have read:

      Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, said it had taken the difficult decision in a bid to boost efficiency, with president Trump's tariffs toward China hastening Samsung's action.

      Well done Mr. President. That deficit will now be lower for sure.

      #MATA!

      What, did they really think production would come back to the US?

    • Don't worry, I'm sure more tariffs will make everything better.

      "I've cut it three times and it's still too short!" - Donald J. Trump, Stable Genius

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by _merlin ( 160982 )

      Are you sure? They mainly made phones for the Chinese and Indian markets in China. They have factories in Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere to make phones for other markets.

    • with president Trump's tariffs toward China hastening Samsung's action

      Yep because Trump's trade war has directly resulted in the downward trend of manufacturing resources willing to work for low wages. Yep. Right.

      Jeesh you republicans would attribute anything to your golden man (golden by colour and by choice on what he sits when he shits only).

  • China vs Japan (Score:3)

    by 110010001000 ( 697113 ) on Thursday October 03, 2019 @10:44AM (#59265226) Homepage Journal

    China is following the same road as Japan from the 1980s. Unfortunately China is much larger. I don't expect they will sit still while things go down the tubes.

  • Isn't it about time we end our addition to these things?
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • If you want to increase your market share, try bringing back phones with removable batteries.

      And without bloatware that can't be removed. And without the Samsung software layer, which adds nothing other than more things than can go wrong. And somewhat smaller, so one won't look like a complete jerk with the phone to one's ear, unless one is built like an NBA player. And without the Bixby button. And with the guarantee that it will not burst into flames. And versions that are not so expensive, while still doing 95% of what the expensive ones do.

      On second thought, I'll get a non-Samsung Android phone

    • Don't forget the SD card and rapid updates.

      But, yeah, I'll pay more for a high-quality "boring" phone without the ties to China.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by qubezz ( 520511 )
      Of course Samsung screwed me an millions of others, discontinuing the actual battery replacement in under two years from when I bought my S5.

  • Watch out Thailand, in a few decades from now these guys will leave for another place because your standard of living is starting to become bearable. You've been warned.

    • To watch robots pick and place stuff on an assembly line exactly how much should a company pay when someone else would love to watch robots pick and place stuff for 1/3rds the price.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • . . . that after Samsung came out with a folding screen, China followed suit, but when Samsung ran into trouble, China halted held off their release, then after Samsung solved the folding screen problem, China finally released theirs????
    Wonder if massive IP theft is the reason they are shutting down the China facility????

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