Apple has confirmed that it is making the newly launched iPhone 14 in India. Apple told news agency Reuters that it is “excited to be manufacturing iPhone 14 in India.” Apple started making iPhones in India with the iPhone SE in May 2017 at its contract manufacturer Wistron’s facility in Bengaluru. The new Made-in-India iPhone 14 is manufactured at Foxconn’s factory in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
After the iPhone SE, Apple started making the iPhone 6S that was launched in 2015. This was followed by iPhone 11, 12 and 13. The iPhone 14is the sixth iPhone to be made in India. Apple is yet to make any of its top-end iPhones in India like the Pro or Pro Max series. Also, the iPhones made in India are for domestic sales within India only.
The prices of iPhone 14 are among the highest in India compared to the rest of the world due to taxes and duties. So, will prices of iPhone 14 come down after Apple starts making it in India? Well, going by past trends, apart from the ‘Made-In-India’ on the boxes of iPhones sold in India, the prices have never come down for iPhone 13, iPhone 12 or other older iPhones. In fact, it is only during the festive sales that iPhones become cheaper, thanks to limited duration bank offers and cashbacks. Local manufacturing doesn’t reduce the MRP.
As per a report by Reuters, Apple is moving some production away from China, amid mounting geopolitical tensions and strict COVID-19 lockdowns in the country. According to J.P.Morgan analysts, Apple may move about 5% of iPhone 14 production from late 2022 to India, which is the world’s second-biggest smartphone market after China.
“Analysts are also estimating about 25% of all Apple products, including Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods, to be manufactured outside China by 2025 from 5% currently,” according to the Reuters report.
