Apple Inc said it is making the iPhone 14 in India as the technology giant looks to diversify production away from China.
Apple, which makes most of its iPhones in China, has been shifting some of its production outside the country as geopolitical tension rises between Washington and Beijing, the FT reported.
The phone will be reportedly be assembled by Foxconn Technology Group and Pegatron, which have plants in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, as well as Wistron, which has a factory in neighbouring Karnataka.
Apple’s share of the Indian market, the world’s second-biggest smartphone market, is just 3.8% with cheaper rivals including Samsung and China’s Xiaomi dominating the sector, Counterpoint Research said.
The iPhone 14 will still be priced at approximately 79,900 rupees or US$980.
China’s zero-Covid policy forced countless factories to close, underlining weaknesses in the company’s supply chain.
Apple is, however, still heavily reliant on China for most of its iPhone production.
It intends to sell India-assembled phones locally as well as exporting them to other nations, with the country starting to receive the manufactured devices in the coming days.
Apple said in a statement the new iPhone will introduce ground-breaking new technologies and important safety capabilities.