Apple's iPhone 17 Manufacturing Expands Across Five Indian Plants

[MacRumors]

Apple is ramping up iPhone production in India across five factories as it continues reducing dependence on China for U.S.-bound devices. For the first time, all four iPhone 17 models will be manufactured in India in preparation for launch next month, reports Bloomberg.

The expansion includes newly operational plants from Tata Group in Tamil Nadu and Foxconn near Bangalore airport. Tata-controlled facilities are expected to handle up to half of India's iPhone output over the next two years, cementing the conglomerate's role as a key Apple partner.

iPhone exports from India have surged dramatically. Between April and July, $7.5 billion worth of iPhones shipped from the country, compared to $17 billion for the entire previous fiscal year. Last month, a Canalys report claimed India has overtaken China as the leading manufacturer of smartphones shipped to the United States.

The production shift comes as Apple navigates the impact of tariffs brought by the Trump administration. CEO Tim Cook recently pledged $600 billion in U.S. investments over four years, partly to maintain exemptions for India-made iPhones. Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on India but has so far spared electronics.

China has reportedly discouraged technology transfers to India, and Foxconn has recalled hundreds of Chinese engineers from Indian facilities. Apple is said to have replaced them with engineers from Taiwan and Japan at higher costs.

Article Link: Apple's iPhone 17 Manufacturing Expands Across Five Indian Plants

 

[Justin Cymbal]

Between April and July, $7.5 billion worth of iPhones shipped from the country, compared to $17 billion for the entire previous fiscal year. Last month, a Canalys report claimed India has overtaken China as the leading manufacturer of smartphones shipped to the United States

That’s an incredible surge in iPhone manufacturing capacity (in such a short period of time)

Glad that Apple is doing everything they can to reduce the impact of tariffs on US consumers (by reducing their reliance on manufacturing in China) Apple has been in the process achieving this transition for years now, but this is a big change in such a short time

 

[Makosuke]

That’s an incredible surge in iPhone manufacturing capacity (in such a short period of time)

It is indeed, but it’s worth keeping in mind that Foxconn’s initiative to build out manufacturing capacity in India has been underway for years. The first iPhones produced in India came off the line way back in 2019, and construction of the factory that built those began years earlier, although I’m failing to find an exact date.

So while it looks like a sudden massive increase, what it really is is the cumulative effect of many years of construction, factory support buildout, workforce development, and training, combined with redirecting the stuff actually produced from other markets to the U.S.

This is not to downplay the dramatic change, but the groundwork for this shift has been underway at Foxconn for the better part of a decade.

Here’s an interesting article from a couple years ago with some detail on the workforce side of it. The results of the training described are presumably part of the change visible now.

 

[d5aqoëp]

Trump has excluded Mobiles and electronics from 50% India Tariffs. So US guys you can still get your iPhones for lowest price in the world. Apart from scam call centres for which there has been a heavy crackdown, Indians do apologize for it and are ready to fulfill your Electronics orders !!!!!

Trump has said a lot of bad things about India, but Indians really don't harbour any ill feelings towards US people. We just want to trade and be left alone.

 

[pbau]

I hope the quality will not go down then... like everything else coming from India.
Apple should built them in US, Europe, Turkey for stable quality

 

[DrJR]

Made in USA is best…. But I’ll take India over China any day.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

These should be made in the USA! It’s not sustainable! 🇺🇸

 

[LionTeeth]

Ew

Wonder if we can request Chinese built ones

 

[1037]

Check out videos of "Fast fashion" That's all I can think about when it says made in India.

 

[DesertNomad]

I'd rather have it made in China than India as China has vastly more experience in this kind of manufacturing.

 

[tipoo]

Funny prank to make Apple move out of China and friend-shore into India, and then tariff that friend more than China anyways.

 

[tipoo]

I'd rather have it made in China than India as China has vastly more experience in this kind of manufacturing.

This is so outdated. Yes China is a manufacturing superpower, but in terms of Apple products if they weren't labeled no one would be able to tell what's made in India vs made in China. Both countries have many flaws, but I'd take the democracy that generally lumbers in the right direction over time vs the totalitarian single party rule that can disappear even its own billionaires without any independent supreme court like India has. Apple hardware QA is Apple hardware QA and they've been indistinguishable.

I only wish their software got some QA hehe.

 

[tsa1]

These should be made in the USA! It’s not sustainable! 🇺🇸

No they shouldn’t. I don’t want my fellow Americans touching my electronics during manufacture. Japan is my preference or Taiwan.

 

[Jay Tee]

Extremely happy.
Can wait to place my orders soon for these.

 

[miq]

Ew

Wonder if we can request Chinese built ones

Agreed, I’m in Australia and if I ever end up with an Indian phone, it’ll be returned to Apple straight away.

 

[SpotOnT]

Well, we will see how this goes….

 

[svish]

Very happy to see production happening for all the new models in India. Should ensure that local market also gets locally manufactured devices. This should help maintain similar prices as in the US and the higher prices due to import duty should go away.

 

[AF_APPLETALK]

That’s an incredible surge in iPhone manufacturing capacity (in such a short period of time)

Glad that Apple is doing everything they can to reduce the impact of tariffs on US consumers (by reducing their reliance on manufacturing in China) Apple has been in the process achieving this transition for years now, but this is a big change in such a short time

India's about to get hit with an 80% tariff, because they seemingly refuse to make any compromises on their end. Imo screw the tariff, putting a moratorium on H1B visas for India would nuke their entire economy.

 

[AF_APPLETALK]

Ew

Wonder if we can request Chinese built ones

Someone who gets it

 

[Dog Bone Malone]

I'm going to hold off on a new 17PM for the first few months. Just to make sure the build quality is there.

 

[MacMan988]

These should be made in the USA! It’s not sustainable! 🇺🇸

That is why they put a lot of US locations based wallpapers 😊

 

[bruhsfx2]

but in terms of Apple products if they weren't labeled no one would be able to tell what's made in India vs made in China

There are marks. Look inside the charging port. It will say made in India or China.