In a substantial first for India, Apple is expanding its iPhone manufacturing efforts in the country for its upcoming iPhone 17 series. Based on sources from Bloomberg, Apple is going to manufacture the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max – two of the most premium variants of the iPhone lineup – along with the regular iPhone 17 and the new iPhone 17 Air. The decision comes at a time when Apple is facing rough geopolitical winds that could affect its global markets.
Seen as a move to revise its global manufacturing strategy and reduce its long-standing dependence on China, Apple is moving the assembly of its Pro and Pro Max variants to India. The ‘assembled in India’ iPhone 17 models will be reserved for exports to the home market of the US. This new production plan is taking place across five factories in the country, including two recently opened facilities.
iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max now made in India
For those in the unknown, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to feature the best of mobile technology that Apple has to offer, including a new 48MP telephoto camera for superior zoom, a faster A19 Pro chipset, new Apple Intelligence features, and a lighter aluminium alloy frame.
The vanilla iPhone 17 is also expected to get a 120Hz refresh rate display and a new A19 chipset as standard. The new iPhone 17 Air will replace the ‘Plus’ variant, offering a sleek 5.5mm thin body, a single rear camera, the A19 chip, and a 120Hz display. All iPhone 17 models will be getting a new 24MP front camera as standard.
The manufacturing expansion involves a deepening partnership between Apple and the Tata Group, the latter already being a key Apple partner for its domestic manufacturing efforts. The company’s newly operational plant in Tamil Nadu and an expanded hub from Foxconn, a long-time partner based out of Bengaluru, are crucial to the new manufacturing push.
According to reports, the Tata-controlled facilities are expected to account for up to half of India’s iPhone output over the next two years, which would mark a rapid growth in manufacturing efforts for the Cupertino-based giant.
Are made-in-India iPhones a good idea for Apple?
The decision to shift production of iPhones to India from China is primarily attributed to rising geopolitical tensions and trade tariffs. While the tariff issue with China had put Apple in worry, the Trump administration has also lately imposed up to 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods. Thankfully, for Apple, electronic products like the iPhone are exempt from the tariff.
Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent pledge of $600 billion in US investments over four years is seen as a crucial effort to maintain this tariff-free status for its India-made devices.
For Apple, the shift in production has benefited greatly. Between April and July, India exported $7.5 billion worth of iPhones – a figure that is already nearing the total $17 billion exported during the entire previous fiscal year. According to a Canalys report, India has now surpassed China as the leading source of smartphones shipped to the United States.