Apple chooses India to produce the iPhone 14, so China becomes more and more distant

For more than a decade, Apple has relied on China to produce nearly all of its devices. Then began the tariff war, the Covid blockades and finally the tensions between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan. Now Cupertino has begun to look to India. This is the country that Apple would like to move to 25% of global production, starting with iPhone 14. A critical step to reduce its dependence on China. “The new line of iPhone 14 introduces revolutionary new technologies and important security features. We are thrilled to be producing the iPhone 14 in India, ”the company said in a statement Monday, confirming weeks of speculation.

Foxconn, Apple’s historic partner, is producing the device in Chennai, at the Sriperumbudur. The iPhone units manufactured here will go on sale in India later this year. It is the first time that Indian factories have produced an iPhone of the main range. The company usually begins assembling models in the country seven months after launch and to date, in India, Apple’s partners have built few iPhones that are all dated and cheap.

US technology companies have long been looking for aalternative to China. In fact, global supply chains have been interrupted due to the rigid blockades linked to Covid and there is also the fear of an incisive rift between China and the United States over Taiwan. The Wall Street Journal reported that the company was looking to increase production in other countries, including Vietnam and India. “Apple wants to diversify and not put all its eggs in one basket,” the company explained, adding that the move was a “show of confidence in India”.

Apple’s next goals

According to analysts, Apple will turn India into a global iPhone manufacturing hub by 2025. It will move the 5% of global iPhone 14 production in India by the end of 2022 , and will expand its production capacity in the country in three years. Vietnam, on the other hand, will contribute with the 20% to all iPad and Apple Watch productions, the 5% of MacBook and the 65% of AirPods by 2025. There are those who hope that local production will lower the unbalanced prices of iPhones in the country. The base model of the iPhone 14, in fact, costs in the United States 799 dollarsin India 79900 rupees (980 dollars). The iPhone Pro Max touches the i 1717 dollars in India, i account 1099 in home.

Everyone looks at India

Apple is not the only one looking to India as a new horizon of production. Samsungalready identifies in the country a key global manufacturing pole, which is why it has built one of its most important factories in India. Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo e OnePlus they already assemble some of their phones locally in the country. Not only that, too Google plans to move part of the Pixel smartphone production to these territories.