Apple plans to assemble the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in India later this year in what would be the first time a Pro iPhone range is being produced in the country, reports Moneycontrol.
Apple is keen on diversifying its production lines beyond China, and expanding production of Pro iPhone models outside the country is a significant step forward. The report adds that the company has been contemplating the production of Pro iPhones outside China for years, and this could finally materialize with the iPhone 16 Pro range.
iPhone 16 Pro production in India will be handled by Foxconn in its Sriperumbudur facility in Tamil Nadu. The New Product Introduction (NPI) process, a key development step before mass production, will begin soon. However, the mass production stage is set to start after the iPhone 16 Pro’s launch and before the end of 2024, indicating that initial units of the device sold in India will be imported from China.
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Apple has been ramping up iPhone assembly in India over the past few years. Last year’s base iPhone 15 began production in the country concurrently with China, while the iPhone 15 Plus also entered assembly in India several months after its introduction in September 2023.
Demand for the iPhone 16 lineup will be high thanks to Apple Intelligence, with Apple reportedly asking its suppliers to assemble 90 million units before the end of 2024. Preparations for assembly are already underway with Foxconn’s plant in Shenzhen recruiting additional workers today ahead of ramping up mass production by August.
Apple might also restart preparations to manufacture its iPads in India through Foxconn, spurred by the government’s efforts to attract more supply chains. This development follows a previous setback in partnering with China’s BYD for iPad production in India, which was hindered by government restrictions due to geopolitical concerns.
