Apple plans to launch ‘Made in India’ iPhone 12 in mid-2021: Report

Apple’s supplier Wistron is said to locally produce the upcoming iPhone 12 at its new plant near Bengaluru.

Apple iPhone X. (Picjumbo)

Apple is reportedly planning to locally produce the iPhone 12 series in India. The new ‘Made in India' iPhone 12 models will be ready by the middle of next year, according to a Business Standard report.

Wistron, Apple's Taiwanese contract manufacturer will start production of the new iPhones at the company's Narasapura plant near Bengaluru. There's planned investment of over ₹2,900 crore, and Wistron has also plans to hire 10,000 employees for the new plant. The manufacturing plant is expected to be fully functional by October this year. Around 1,000 workers have already started working at the Wistron plan, according to the report.

iPhone 12 will be the latest to join the increasing lineup of Made in India iPhones. Apple most recently started assembling the iPhone 11 at the Foxconn plant in Chennai. Apple is expected to start assembling the iPhone SE 2020 by the end of this year as well. 

The company has so far locally produced the iPhone 6s, iPhone and iPhone XR. Apple's push for local manufacturing comes amid reports of the iPhone maker looking to shift reliance from China to other countries. Local production of iPhones hasn't necessarily decreased the prices of iPhones in India even though the company saves 22% of import duty.

But with the iPhone 12, it would probably be the fastest flagship iPhone model to be locally assembled in India. Apple is yet to launch the new iPhone 12 series which will be delayed this year by a few weeks. The iPhone 12 launch event is said to take place on October 12 this year with the most expensive iPhone 12 Pro shipping in November.