Apple to begin manufacturing iPhone 16 Pro models in India: Report

Apple is set to begin producing iPhone Pro models in India, starting with the iPhone 16 Pro. So far, only non-Pro models have been produced locally. According to Moneycontrol, Apple will start manufacturing the flagship models as early as this fiscal year, with Foxconn handling the production. Apple has been considering local production of Pro models for several years.

This year, the company aims to ensure that India-assembled iPhone 16 Pro models are available in the country after the launch. However, prices are not expected to be lower than imported models. Last year, Apple made iPhone 15 units built in India available to Indian customers on the first day of global sales.

Initially, the base iPhone 15 models were manufactured in India, followed by the iPhone 15 Plus by Pegatron. Foxconn's facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, will soon start the 'new product introduction' process for the Pro models of iPhone 16 and will enter mass production once the phone is launched. In the initial phase of iPhone 16 series availability, the Pro and Pro Max models will likely be imported. However, India-made Pro models will be available within this fiscal year, similar to the approach taken with the iPhone 15 Plus.

Apple currently has a 6 per cent share of India's smartphone market and accounted for 23 per cent of the smartphone revenue share in 2023, surpassing Samsung. The company shipped over 10 million iPhones in India in 2023, up from 6 million in 2022. Anticipating high demand for the iPhone 16 series, expected to launch in September, Apple is preparing 90 million units of iPhone 16 devices for 2024, a 10 per cent increase over the iPhone 15 series.

In India, Apple has significantly increased the production of its flagship iPhone devices through Foxconn and Tata Electronics. Tata, which acquired Wistron operations, is acquiring Pegatron's India operations, including an iPhone manufacturing plant near Chennai. Apple aims to manufacture a quarter of all its iPhones in India over the next 3-4 years, up from 14 per cent currently. A recent report suggests that Apple is also considering resuming iPad manufacturing in India through Foxconn, encouraged by the government's push to attract more supply chains. Additionally, Apple plans to start AirPods production in India early next year.