Jobs finds Foxconn deaths "troubling"
Apple boss describes "difficult situation" as he comments on continuing factory suicide controversy
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has made his first public comments over the controversy at iPhone and iPad manufacturer Foxconn, describing the deaths as "troubling".
Speaking at the 2010 All Things Digital conference, as reported by Reuters, Jobs spoke of how the reports had created "a difficult situation."
Speaking on stage at the event he added, "We're trying to understand right now, before we go in and say we know the solution."
The Foxconn plant in China employs over 350,000 staff and since January 2010 has seen 12 attempted suicides and ten deaths. Amidst allegations of harsh working conditions at least one of the deaths has been blamed on Foxconn security guards.
Foxconn produces a wide range of consumer electronics including the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Amazon Kindle, Dell and Intel motherboards; and the Mac mini, iPod, iPhone and iPad for Apple.
Apple has so far been the company most closely involved in the controversy, but other firms including Sony, Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Nintendo have also launched their own investigations into the deaths.
Yesterday Nintendo reiterated to GamesIndustry.biz that it takes "our responsibilities as a global company very seriously and are committed to an ethical policy on sourcing, manufacture and labour".