Foxconn, a key manufacturer of Apple's iPhone, ramped up its hiring of assembly-line workers recently, signaling that the next generation of Apple's iPhone is getting into the production phase, according to a report.
"We are recruiting at our facilities in China, however, the recruitment activity varies by campus because it is based on the different cycles of the various products we are manufacturing for each of our customers." Foxconn said in a statement to CNBC.
Foxconn has added 10,000 employees to its Zhengzhou factory in China after a temporary postholiday hiring freeze, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
(Read More: Bad Sign for Tech: Idle FoxConn Factory and New Apple iPhone to Come in Different Sizes: Analyst)
The Zhengzhou factory is a final assembly plant for Apple's iPhone, according to Apple's annual supplier list.
The new iPhone, which has been dubbed the iPhone 5S, is widely expected to launch in June.
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Brian White, an analyst for Topeka Capital, said in a note this month that he expects the new iPhone 5S to come in at least two—maybe three—screen sizes.
White—who has a Buy rating on the stock and a price target of $888—also said in his note that he expects Apple to unveil a lower-cost iPhone as part of its summer launch, but the price will not be as low as some may have expected.
It's likely the device will price around $250 to $300, White said.
