Foxconn to assemble iphones in India from 2019
MUMBAI/NEWDELHI: Apple Inc. will begin assembling its topend iphones in India through the local unit of Foxconn as early as 2019, the first time the Taiwanese contract manufacturer will have made the product in the country, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Importantly, Foxconn will be assembling the most expensive models, such as devices in the flagship iphone X family, the person said, potentially taking Apple’s business in India to a new level.
The work will take place at Foxconn’s plant in Sriperumbudur town in Tamil Nadu, this person added.
Foxconn, which already makes phones for Xiaomi Corp., will invest ₹2,500 crore to expand the plant, including investment in iphone production, Tamil Nadu’s industries minister MC Sampath told Reuters. The investment may create as many as 25,000 jobs, he added.
The other person declined to be named as this person is not authorized to speak to the media. A third person familiar with the matter confirmed Foxconn planned to assemble iphones in India.
Until now, Cupertino, California-based Apple has only assembled the lower-cost SE and 6S models in India through Wistron Corp.’s local unit in the Bengaluru technology hub. Its sales in India have also been focused on lowerend phones—more than half of its sales volume is driven by models older than the iphone 8, launched last year, according to technology research firm Counterpoint.
Apple launched the pricey iphone X last year but has cut production of that phone, according to industry analysts, since it began selling the newer versions, iphone XS and XR, globally this year. Still, it could potentially get Foxconn to make the older iphone X version in India where it sells cheaper models in a bid to get a bigger share of the major phone market.