US phone maker Apple will sell its made-in-India iPhone 15 devices from the day of its global sales debut. Reportedly, the company will make its India-made iPhone 15 units available for purchase in India and “some other regions” from day one. It’s the first time, that India and China-made iPhone devices will be available to purchase in history from the beginning.
Apple launched its flagship next-generation iPhone 15 devices on September 12 at its “Wonderlust” event in Cupertino, California. But the production for the lineups already started in many factories including at Foxconn Technology Group’s factory in Southern Tamil Nadu, India. Additionally, Tata is soon acquiring other Apple suppliers in India- Pegatron Corp. and Wistron Corp. They will also start the iPhone 15 assembly in the country.
Although it must be noted that the majority of iPhones come from China, Apple’s recent move does indicate its serious business intentions in India.
In April, Apple also opened its first-ever Apple stores in India. The US tech giant started assembling iPhones in India back in 2017. The US phone maker has been substantiating a series of actions as it makes attempts to lower its dependency on China.
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Apple to increase its iPhone production in India
Apple is increasing its manufacturing footprint in India. The company now produces 7 percent of its iPhones in India and wants to increase the figure to 25 percent by 2025. But this may not go free of any challenges. Bloomberg reports that India-made iPhones could suffer from delays because of “unforeseen logistics bottlenecks”.
Apple has witnessed global supply chain issues due to Covid-19, labor protests, and geopolitics. But in India, it’s finding a peaceful alternative backed by its burgeoning economy and confident consumerism.
Making more iPhones in India also lets Apple avoid hefty tariffs on products it sells inside the country. Tim Cook and Apple have done a great deal to broker a win-win partnership for both India’s Make in India campaign and the company’s business prospects.
This new affinity also aligns finely with the timing as the Chinese government reportedly banned iPhone use for its government officials in favor of the homemade Huawei phones.
Sales for the new-generation iPhones will begin globally on September 22, 2023.
