According to TechCrunch and Bloomberg, Apple has started assembling iPhone 14 smartphones in India. This is the first time that Apple has moved production from China to India so quickly since the launch of the new iPhone .
Apple uses Foxconn’s facility in Sriperumbudur, India, to manufacture the smartphone. Although Apple has manufactured its new iPhones in India in the past, this has usually been done for a longer time after the announcement. So, the production of the iPhone 13 in India began only in April. The same thing happened with the iPhone 12 and 11.
Back in August, it was reported that Apple intends to shorten the time it takes to switch production from China to India. At the same time, the company initially hoped to finish production of the first iPhones in India at the end of October. A source familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Apple and Foxconn have ironed out supply chain issues, allowing them to move production to India more quickly.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the iPhone 14 has begun production in India.
Apple first started making iPhones in India in 2017 in an effort to reduce the company’s dependence on China due to growing conflicts with the US. It also makes the devices more accessible to the Indian market. According to TechCrunch, the standard iPhone 14 currently costs Rs 79,900 (about $980) in India, as opposed to the $799 price tag in the US.
Other companies are also considering establishing manufacturing centers outside of China. Google is reportedly planning to move production of its Pixel smartphone to India or Vietnam. Samsung has been manufacturing devices in the country since 2007, and in 2018 opened the world’s largest handset factory in India.
Source: The Verge