After recent problems in China, Apple is ramping up iPhone assembly in India. The number of iOS handsets assembled in that country will reportedly triple in the coming years.
Previous reports have also indicated that Apple is putting a much greater emphasis on making iPhones in India.
5G service launched in India in October, but no iPhone supports the high-speed wireless networking standard… yet. Apple plans to change that in December.
And those who are part of the iOS beta program can get access even earlier.
Apple TV+ offered a first look at upcoming drama series Shantaram this week in the form of a photo of star Charlie Hunnam (Son of Anarchy) in character, plus a rundown of the cast and plot of the adventure-romance, set to premiere October 14.
And speaking of drama and adventure, the production ran into big trouble on the way to becoming a reality.
Foxconn will begin shipping the iPhone 14 from its assembly plant in India almost as soon as its Chinese plant starts shipping Apple’s next smartphone, according to an industry analyst. This is apparently a sign that Apple is decreasing its dependence on China.
And Foxconn is reportedly building up its assembly capacity in India.
The first Apple store in India won’t open until 2023. Apple has been trying to open the retail location since 2019, but it’s been beset with delays.
The Mumbai store is supposed to be part of an important shift in the way the company does business in India. Another store in the country is also on the way.
Apple is now manufacturing the iPhone 13 in India through supply-chain partner Foxconn following the phone’s launch last September.
The move will allow the Cupertino company to save on customs and import taxes that it otherwise has to pay for importing and selling the phones in the country.
Apple’s long struggle to open a retail store in India isn’t over yet. The iPhone-maker had planned to throw open the doors of a brick-and-mortar location in Mumbai in 2021, but it’s now reportedly been delayed by COVID-19.
Customs officials have seized around 80 iPhones being smuggled through Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India. The devices included various iPhone 12 models, including the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. They also arrested two passengers who owned the checked-in luggage, and another person reportedly involved in the smuggling.
The smuggling was almost certainly to avoid paying import duty on the devices. Import duties on the iPhone in India were increased from 10 to 15% in late 2017.
Apple has confirmed that its Apple Music Lossless and Spatial Audio features will be coming to India. The features debuted elsewhere for users in May at no added cost.
Apple’s Support Twitter page notes that “We appreciate your interest. Dolby Atmos on Apple Music will be coming to India soon. Keep an eye out here.” Meanwhile, the Apple Music page for India also makes mention of the feature. No official launch date has yet been announced.
The coronavirus pandemic might be winding down in the United States, but it’s still wreaking havoc in other parts of the world. And that includes hammering Apple’s supply chain.
