Foxconn employee Sun Danyong, 25, apparently killed himself on July 16 after realizing that one of the iPhone 4G prototypes that was entrusted to him was missing, according to Chinese media reports. Sun was responsible for shipping iPhone prototypes to Apple.
Sun reported the missing phone to Foxconn, which, according to various Chinese media reports, searched his apartment and questioned him about the disappearance of the device.
Apple told CNET on Tuesday that it was "saddened by the tragic loss of this young employee." The company said it is waiting for the results of "investigations" into Sun's death.
Foxconn did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Foxconn is Apple's longtime manufacturing partner in China. Apple has used the company to manufacture all of its iPods and, more recently, all of the iPhone models.
This is no indication from either company whether the allegedly missing iPhone has been recovered.
