Made-in-India iPhone 15 creates ‘racist’ buzz in China: Social media users say iPhones smell of 'curry'

Apple's decision to expand its manufacturing operations in India at the expense of China has ignited a wave of 'racist' reactions across Chinese social media platforms, most notably Weibo and X. The focus of these reactions centres on the quality of the recently released iPhone 15 manufactured in India.

Over the past week, India has found itself at the centre of misinformation campaigns, contemptuous remarks, and racist jokes circulating on China's internet, all linked to its increasing involvement in Apple's manufacturing network. Some Chinese netizens are even calling for a boycott of the India-made iPhone 15s.

Social media users in China have raised concerns about Apple's decision to shift production to India and have started spreading rumours of quality issues with this year's iPhone models. One widespread but false claim suggests that Europe has rejected iPhones made in India.

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For the first time, India-made iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models were available on the global market on September 22, coinciding with the release of Chinese units. This highlights Apple's rapid expansion of manufacturing operations in the world's second-largest smartphone market, making India the second-largest assembler of iPhones worldwide.

Nonetheless, the launch of India-made iPhones has sparked a backlash in China, with social media posts and reactions also appearing in Chinese state media.

One Weibo post alleges that India-made iPhone 15 units are being diverted to China after facing rejection in Europe due to quality issues.

A report in China Daily, a state-controlled publication, refutes claims of diversion, stating, "China is one of the largest markets for Apple, and the production capacity of India cannot meet the demand in China."

Chinese journalist Wenhao, writing for Voice of America, highlights how India has become the target of misinformation, contempt, and racist jokes on China's internet in recent weeks due to its expanding role in Apple's manufacturing network. "Ahead of the new iPhone release on Friday, some netizens are calling for boycotting India-made iPhone 15s," Wenhao wrote, underscoring the coordinated campaign against India.

Some Weibo users have posted photos purportedly showing dust particles on camera lenses and the phone's motherboard as evidence of poor quality in India-made iPhone 15s.

Wenhao explains, "The misinformation has various forms, but most claim that iPhones made in India could not meet Europe's standards. So, China-made ones were sent to replace them, and India-made iPhones were instead sent to China."

These controversies have also prompted certain Chinese consumers to make racial slurs and stereotypical comments about Indians on social media. "The initial release seems quite random. First, let's tear off the packaging and savour the aroma of curry; it's alright in India, it's clean and hygienic, folks," a post read online translated from Mandarin.

In another post, concerns were raised about Indian workers eating curry rice with their hands, touching their mobile phones after wiping their eyes, and the suggestion that iPhones from India might not be adequately sanitised. The post implied that individuals with strong cleanliness preferences might be hesitant to handle such phones, hinting that the iPhones could potentially have an unpleasant odour, akin to "corpse rice."

However, many users in India who have purchased the latest handsets reported no issues, stating that the new units are working flawlessly.

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The ‘Titanium’ issue

Experts like Ming-Chi Kuo, a Hong Kong-based analyst, attribute any potential quality issues to design compromises aimed at achieving a lighter weight, including reduced heat dissipation area and the use of a titanium frame.

Just two years ago, China accounted for around 95% of all iPhones manufactured, compared to India's meagre 3%. Today, India's share has grown to approximately 14%, while China's has dwindled to around 86%, according to Counterpoint Research.

According to a report by Bank of America, Apple may shift around 18% of its global iPhone production to India by FY25.

Apple has been rapidly expanding its iPhone manufacturing operations in India since 2017, currently relying on three contract manufacturers—Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron. Notably, the latter's facility in Karnataka is set to be taken over by the Tatas. In addition to achieving record shipments of nearly 7 million units in 2023, expected to grow to 8-9 million in 2024, Apple has also surpassed Korean rival Samsung in terms of export volumes from India, having shipped over $5 billion worth of iPhones in FY23.

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