Apple will reportedly start manufacturing iPhone 14 in India two months after its initial launch in September. The company has been working closely with its Indian suppliers to boost their production capacity in the region.
Apple typically starts manufacturing new iPhones in India six to nine months after their launch.
iPhone 14 production won’t start simultaneously in India and China
The latest report from Bloomberg contradicts a previous analyst’s claim. TF International Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo previously stated that the Cupertino giant would simultaneously start manufacturing the iPhone 14 in India and China. The delay is being attributed to Apple’s high secrecy levels.
Foxconn, Apple’s primary manufacturing partner, analyzed shipping the relevant components from China to its factory in Chennai, India. To main secrecy, it even considered cornering off a section of its assembly line.
However, both parties ultimately decided that starting production simultaneously in both countries won’t be possible this year. They realized that it would be challenging to replicate the stringent security measures in China’s factory in India.
Apple was also worried about Indian customs officers. They tend to open packages to ensure they match the products mentioned in the declarations. This could have been a point of vulnerability and affected the product’s secrecy.
Apple and Foxconn now plan to roll out the first made-in-India iPhone 14 batch from the Chennai factory in late October or November. The target date is reportedly October 24, the day the festival of light starts in the country.
Apple wants to make India and Vietnam its key manufacturing hubs
Apple has been looking to diversify its supply chain and reduce its reliance on China as its manufacturing hub. While the company has been working on this for the last few years, the pandemic and the lockdown in China has further sped up the process.
The Cupertino giant’s partners are already testing making the Apple Watch in Vietnam. The country has emerged as the second-largest production hub for Apple outside of China.
Apart from Vietnam, Apple is also heavily looking to expand its manufacturing presence in India. Its partners, Foxconn and Wistron, already have manufacturing facilities in the country to cater to local iPhone demand. But it is looking to assemble more of its devices in the region.
