Quanta Computer wins Apple's big orders for iPhones

Quanta Computer Inc., one of Taiwan's leading suppliers of information and communication devices, recently won big orders from Apple for about 5 million second-generation iPhones, and is scheduled to start delivery in September, successfully becoming Apple's second Taiwanese supplier of iPhones after Hong Hai Group, according to industry sources.

Although suffering a drain of mobile phone workforce not long ago and holding only HP and O2's orders for smartphones in its mobile phone business, Quanta is expected to make up for the loss of Dell's orders for notebook PCs with Apple's big orders for the second-generation iPhones.

The sources noted that the iPhone assembled by Quanta might be similar to another batch by Hong Hai Group, and will be redesigned to meet specific market demand. In a bid to secure smooth shipment, Quanta has to seek more suppliers of related components for iPhones.

Quanta has been actively engaged in developing product lines other than notebook PCs over the past few years, and hopes to boost sales of non-core products, including mobile phones, to 25% of its total sales by 2008. To respond well to multimedia application products derived from Apple's iPhones, Quanta Computer integrated its departments of mobile phones and multimedia this year, and is to zero in on the field of electronic manufacturing services (EMS) for mobile phones.

On the other hand, the first-generation iPhones are delivered by Hong Hai Group, with printed circuit boards needed sourced from Taiwan's Tripod Technology and Unimicron, connectors from Entery Industrial, cases from Catcher Technology, keyboards from Sunrex, digital camera lens from Largan Precision, and digital camera modules from Altus Technology, Primax Electronics, and Lite-on Technology.

The first-generation of iPhones will be launched for sales in the U.S. in June through AT&T, the largest American telecom services carrier. So far, there have been one million consumers ordering the product, and Apple has planned to launch iPhones in Europe during Christmas holidays, likely selecting T-mobile, one of the top three telecom companies in Europe, as its selling partner.

source & copyright: CENS