• Only the Foxconn facility in China produces the top-tier iPhone models.
• Friday morning trading saw a 1.9 percent decline in Apple shares.
• Formerly known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, Foxconn.

Following the most recent round of employee unrest this week, Foxconn's flagship iPhone plant in China is expected to see a further decrease in November shipments, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation on Friday. This comes as thousands of workers leave the plant.

The rigorous COVID-19 regulations that have plagued the largest Apple iPhone factory in the world have fueled employee unrest, interrupted production in time for the Christmas and Lunar New Year holidays, and forced numerous employees to leave the facility.

Foxconn could now see more than 30% of the facility's November production affected, up from an internal estimate of up to 30% when the labour issues first flared up in late October, the source said. On Wednesday, an altercation between workers and security personnel led to the escalation.

The facility is the sole source of high-end iPhone models, including the iPhone 14 Pro, and the insider indicated that it is doubtful that full production will return by the end of this month. Hon Hai Precision Industry, now known as Foxconn, declined to comment. 

Apple did not react to a request for comment on Friday, despite having claimed on Thursday that it had employees working at the site. Friday morning's late morning trading saw Apple shares down 1.9 percent while the leading Nasdaq index fell 0.3 percent.
High-end iPhones will likely be hard to get in stores this holiday season, US Best Buy predicted on Tuesday. 

As reported by Reuters this week, analysts claimed that sales of iPhones at Apple outlets in the US during the Black Friday shopping season were also down from a year ago and that stock replenishment was taking longer.

 As we approach the holiday buying season, Wedbush Securities predicts that many Apple outlets currently have 25 to 30 percent fewer iPhone 14 Pros than usual.

Apple stated it expected less shipments of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max than it had originally predicted in a statement on November 7. Foxconn recently hired new employees, and some of them grumbled that they had been mislead about the factory's pay and benefits while others griped about living in dorms with coworkers who had tested positive for COVID.

Foxconn apologised for a 'technical issue' regarding salary while hiring on Thursday and afterwards provided CNY 10,000 (about Rs. 1,14,000) to disgruntled new hires who decided to resign and leave in exchange for their cooperation.