Foxconn is manufacturing a higher value in China

Hong Kong

FOXCONN is aiming to manufacture something different in a new location. The Taiwanese assembler of Apple's iPhones plans to spin off a subsidiary in Shanghai. Fresh funds will help it push into new technologies. Given the nature of stock trading in China, it also could be retooling its valuation.

As smartphone demand slows, boss Terry Gou is eyeing new areas of growth for his US$52 billion contract builder of electronics. Essential to the idea, which he has dubbed "8K+5G" - referring to next-generation display and wireless protocols, respectively - is Foxconn Industrial Internet.