Amidst efforts to boost the production volume of iPhones in India, Apple Inc. has set its sights on Tamil Nadu for manufacturing its next-generation iPhone 15, a recent report suggests.
As per Bloomberg News, a Foxconn Technology Group facility located in Sriperumbudur is gearing up to roll out these high-end devices shortly after their initial dispatch from Chinese factories. This strategy is part of Apple’s broader plan to reduce the production gap between its operations in India and its manufacturing base in China.
Scheduled for an announcement on September 12, 2023, the upcoming iPhone is anticipated to be the most significant overhaul of the device in the past three years. However, the extent to which iPhones will be produced in India largely hinges on the consistent availability of imported components. In response to this, the production lines in Chennai have been significantly amplified.
In the days predating the iPhone 14, Apple’s iPhone assembly footprint in India was minuscule compared to China, trailing by six to nine months. This gap considerably diminished last year, with Apple having produced 7% of its iPhones in India by the end of March. The tech giant’s current aim is to achieve synchronized shipment timings between India and China, although insiders remain uncertain about the feasibility of this goal.
In addition to Foxconn, other Apple suppliers in India like Pegatron Corp. and a Wistron Corp. factory, soon to be under the ownership of the Tata Group, are also set to contribute to the iPhone 15’s assembly.
In related news from Tuesday, Apple is initiating the manufacturing of its globally popular AirPods wireless earbuds at Foxconn’s Hyderabad facility. With Foxconn’s $400 million investment, this Hyderabad-based factory is set to commence mass production by December 2024. Interestingly, after iPhones, AirPods will become the second Apple product to be manufactured in India.
Diving into the iPhone 15’s feature set, leaked videos ahead of its official launch revealed the introduction of the Dynamic Island feature, promising a punch-hole display across all iPhone 15 variants. This signifies a more refined design characterized by slimmer bezels and a more expansive display. Under the hood, the iPhone 15 Pro models will harness the power of the A17 Bionic chip, produced using TSMC’s 3nm process. In contrast, the standard iPhone 15 and its Plus variant are set to feature the A16 Bionic chip.
For storage enthusiasts, the iPhone 15 Pro starts at a whopping 256GB, a noticeable bump from the iPhone 14 Pro’s 128GB. While the Pro variants may bear a higher price tag, the regular iPhone 15 models are projected to retain the same pricing, based on discussions with Asian suppliers. Preliminary reports hint at a price tag of $799 in the US and Rs 79,900 in India for the iPhone 15.
This news story is based on an article from businesstoday.in
