Apple is making more iPhones in India than ever before. The Cupertino giant assembled 7% of the total iPhones it manufactured last fiscal year in the country.
The company is looking to make India the next iPhone manufacturing hub after China to diversify its supply chain.
Apple wants to make more iPhones in India
Apple reportedly assembled iPhones worth over $7 billion in India, which accounted for 7% of its total production. This is up from a mere 1% of iPhones assembled in the country in 2021.
The Bloomberg report citing unnamed sources from Apple’s supply chain reveals that the company’s manufacturing partners have rapidly added new production lines to their factories over the last year.
Apple and its biggest supply chain partner Foxconn are also lobbying the Indian government to relax some labor laws. This will enable the companies to run the factory in two shifts, allowing it to run 24 hours.
Analysts expect Apple to start making 25% of the total iPhones in India by 2025.
India is the next China for Apple
Apple initially manufactured older iPhones like the iPhone SE and iPhone 8 in India. It primarily assembled the devices to meet local demand. In recent years though, Apple has ramped up its manufacturing efforts in India as it looks to make the country an alternative to China for iPhone production. As a result, India now manufactures newer models like iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 as well.
In fact, Apple started assembling iPhone 14 in India within weeks of its global launch, a record for the company. For iPhone 15, the company plans to begin production in India and China simultaneously.
Apple is also expanding its retail presence in India by opening its first two stores next week. CEO Tim Cook will fly down to India for their inauguration.
