Steve Jobs Says Chinese Factory Isn't A Sweatshop

The Foxconn factory is unusual because the Shenzhen, China facility has reported 10 worker suicides, and three additional suicides at other Foxconn facilities. At the All Things Digital D8 conference in California, Jobs reportedly assured attendees that the company was investigating the incidents, adding that, compared with other factories, the Foxconn facility's conditions were "pretty nice."

The facility, which includes dormitory space, is reportedly built with features that would entice workers to spend time in it: restaurants, movie theaters, health care and swimming pools. Chinese workers often spend upward of 12 hours a day, six days a week at their place of employment, so it's unclear exactly how much of their time could be spend pursuing leisure activities.

Hon Hai Precision, the largest maker of consumer electronics in the world, owns the factory. Hon Hai recently agreed to give its assembly line workers a 30 percent pay hike, in an attempt to improve worker satisfaction. Currently, an entry-level salary is equivalent to roughly $130 a month in U.S. currency.