APS Written Assignment 6

Aps Written Assignment 6
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Introduction
The iPhone 5 C model has incorporated multiple technologies that could affect the current global atmosphere. For instance, the fact that this product can connect to multiple medical gadgets could alter the current medical practices. In addition, its production resulted in ethical issues that could affect its future users and non-users. This is because most of the ethical issues affect the workers (who could be prospective iPhone 5 C users). Another important aspect to note is that the social media has had an influence on the publicity of the item. This is because major debates have occurred in the social media regarding the iPhone 5 C models. These debates contributed positively or negatively to the market perception of the iPhone 5 C model. This paper discusses the ethical issues, social media influence, and the medical concerns of the iPhone 5 C model.
Ethical Issues Concerning the IPhone 5 C Model
The manufacture of the iPhone 5 C model was accompanied by ethical considerations that should be noted in this paper. This owes to the reality that China Labor Watch criticized Pegatron (an apple supplier) for labor violations early July 2013. The critic released a report accusing the supplier by alleging that Pegatron was involved in a series of legal labor and ethical violations. To begin with, China Labor watch claims that an electronics manufacturer Jabil circuit is already manufacturing the iPhone 5 C model. Additional infringements in the production of the model involve payment of wages to workers. According to China Labor Watch (2013), millions of dollars accounting for unpaid wages in overtime hours is the source of this problem. More than hundred hours of compulsory monthly overtime is three times more than the legal limits in China. Furthermore, it is alleged that Apple has been forcing its employees to work continuously for 11 hours with a thirty minute-break.
Additional ethical issues concerning the production of the iPhone 5 C models include hiring discrimination and the use of illegal pre-working training. It is notable that Apple claimed to be complying with china’s requirement of sixty working hours every week. This fact has been disputed by the China Labor Watch, which argues that the statutory working limits in the country should be forty-nine hours. China Labor Watch (2013) argues that Apple has been under immense pressure to take responsibility of its workers. Simply put, Apple has to upgrade its supply chain system in order to improve the working conditions. This is because of instances where cases of safety issues, suicides, and working conditions have been reported at Foxconn (Apple’s supplier). Ultimately, Foxconn has been reported to be hiring interns who are as old as fourteen years old, which does not meet the 16-year old requirement for working.
Possible Social Media Influence
The social media plays a crucial role in publicizing new products and technology. According to Bold (2013), the social media atmosphere and attitudes on the iPhone 5 C model were mainly negative. This is evidenced by the fact that statistics reveals that forty-five per cent of social media users criticized its design while thirty-six percent questioned its pricing. The author further reveals that only 19% of social media conversations had positive opinions about the iPhone 5 C models. In fact, conversations regarding the iPhone 5 C was 66% down compared to conversations on ...