In July Apple started manufacturing its 2019 iPhone11 in India at its Foxconn plant in Chennai. The company started local assembly of its iPhones in the country dating back to 2017 with the original iPhone SE. The Cupertino based brand now makes five iPhone models in India including the iPhone XR, iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s.
Now Apple has started local assembly of the iPhone SE 2020 that was launched in April this year. The smartphone is manufactured at the company’s Wistron facility in Karnataka which also produced the original SE model. The iPhone SE 2020 is the sixth device in Apple’s portfolio to be made in India.
Locally producing the iPhone helps Apple avoid 20 percent tax on imports. It also enables the brand to avail of benefits under the government’s PLI schemes. Apple is looking to move its manufacturing out of China and ramp up the same in India. It is expected to export the Made in India iPhones globally. According to reports, the company’s supplier Foxconn is set to invest $1 billion in India while its third manufacturer Pegatron is expected to set up its plant in the country. It’s worth noting that Apple hasn’t slashed prices of its iPhone models that are being made in India, however, it is quite possible in the near future.
A report by Business Standard revealed that Apple is also planning to manufacture its upcoming iPhone 12 by mid-2021. It will be produced at Wistron’s new facility which is said to be near Bengaluru. Currently, there are 1,000 workers at the unit and Wistron plans to hire 10,000 more workers. Local assembly of the iPhones will also give a boost to PM Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
Apart from manufacturing iPhones in India, the Cupertino based giant is also set to launch its official online store in the country next month. Bloomberg Quint reports that Apple’s online store will go live ahead of Dussehra-Diwali festive season. The company currently sells its products through franchise partners in India. Having its own official store will give Apple more control over its pricing. The report also adds that Apple plans to open its brick and mortar stores in Mumbai (Bandra Kurla complex) next year followed by Bengaluru.