Page 11 - aruba-today-20221108

A11
technology Tuesday 8 November 2022
Apple says iPhone supplies hurt by anti-virus curbs in China

BEIJING (AP) — Apple Inc. pended for one week fol-
is warning customers they’ll lowing a surge in infections
have to wait longer to get in Zhengzhou and the de-
its latest iPhone models parture of workers from the
after anti-virus restrictions factory.
were imposed on a con- The lockdown is expected
tractor’s factory in central to cause further disruptions
China. The company an- to the plant, which in recent
nouncement Sunday gave weeks has seen a spate of
no details but said the fac- coronavirus infections and
tory operated by Foxconn an exodus of workers, some
in the central city of Zheng- of whom fled the factory
zhou is “operating at signifi- on foot. Foxconn said in a
cantly reduced capacity.” statement that it is revis-
“We now expect lower ing its outlook for this quar-
iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone ter downward due to the
14 Pro Max shipments than lockdown. “Foxconn is now
we previously anticipated,” working with the govern-
the company said. “Cus- ment in a concerted effort
tomers will experience lon- to stamp out the pandemic
ger wait times to receive and resume production to
their new products.” its full capacity as quickly
Foxconn Technology Group as possible,” the company
said earlier it imposed anti- said Monday. Customers line up outside of an Apple Store before its opening on the first day of sale for the Apple
virus measures on the fac- It also said that the provin- iPhone 14 in Beijing, China on Sept. 16, 2022. Apple Inc. is warning customers will have to wait
tory in Zhengzhou following cial government has said it longer to get its latest iPhone models after anti-virus restrictions were imposed on a contractor's
factory in central China.
virus outbreaks. Apple and will “fully support” Foxconn Associated Press
Foxconn previously hadn’t in managing the plant’s
responded to questions pandemic prevention and loop” system would restrict The last quarter of the year “We are working closely
about how iPhone produc- operation situation. its employees’ travel be- is typically a busy season with our supplier to return
tion might be affected. In a post on the Zhengzhou tween their dormitories and for companies like Foxconn to normal production levels
Last week, access to the plant’s WeChat social me- the factory area to man- as they ramp up produc- while ensuring the health
industrial zone where the dia account Sunday, the age risks of COVID-19 trans- tion ahead of the end of and safety of every work-
factory is located was sus- company said a “closed mission. year holiday rush. er,” Apple said.q

Walgreens push into comprehensive care picks up momentum

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer easily work together.
Walgreens extended its push into Village Medical provides primary
more comprehensive health care care for patients at its traditional
with its VillageMD unit acquiring stand-alone practices, through
another urgent and primary care its Village Medical at Walgreens
chain, Summit Health-CityMD, in a practices, at home and through
deal worth close to $9 billion. virtual visits. Chicago's VillageMD
Walgreens and rival CVS, two re- and Village Medical operate in
tail chains with thousands of lo- Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Texas,
cations, have evolved in recent Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Flor-
years with a greater focus on ida and Georgia and Kentucky,
overall care for customers, trying with more than 1.6 million patients.
to help them avoid chronic health Summit Health and CityMD have
conditions and expensive hospital more than 2,800 providers at more
stays. That goes far beyond their than 370 locations in New York,
historic focus on store sales and New Jersey, Connecticut, Penn-
filling prescriptions. sylvania and Central Oregon.
The deal to combine VillageMD Summit is based in New Jersey.
and CityMD arrives just two months Walgreens, which has its head-
after CVS Health said it would pay The entrance to a Walgreens is seen on Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. Walgreens quarters outside of Chicago, also
about $8 billion to acquire Signify dove deeper into the health care sector on Monday, Nov. 7, when its VillageMD is developing centers across the
Health, a technology company unit announced it would acquire another primary and urgent care provider, United States that use automat-
that sends doctors and other care Summit Health-CityMD, in a deal worth close to $9 billion. Associated Press ed technology to fill prescriptions
providers to people's homes to as- and deliver them to pharmacies,
sess how they are doing and what a "strategic collaboration," Ever- cal bills. giving pharmacists more time to
help they might need. north, a subsidiary of health insur- Walgreens, which has about work with customers.
Walgreens Boots Alliance, which ance giant Cigna Health, is also 13,000 retail pharmacy locations When Walgreens released de-
has a 53% controlling interest in making an undisclosed invest- worldwide including 9,000 in the tails of its annual financial perfor-
VillageMD, will invest $3.5 billion in ment in the deal and will become U.S, has invested billions of dol- mance last month, CEO Rosalind
debt and equity in support of the a minority owner of VillageMD. lars in Village MD and is opening Brewer proclaimed it was the first
deal, which is expected to close Overall health has also taken on primary care practices next to its year of Walgreens' "transforma-
in the first quarter of 2023. more emphasis with insurers and drugstores so that pharmacies tion to a consumer-centric health
In what the companies are calling employers, who must foot medi- and physician offices can more care company."q