Apple to assemble new iPhone SE in India: Report

The report, citing a source, adds that Apple has asked one of its Chinese suppliers to start shipping 2020 iPhone SE components to Indian manufacturing partners.

Apple iPhone SE (Apple)

Apple seems all set to assemble the new iPhone SE in India, as reported by The Information (via Apple Insider). This move by the iPhone maker will likely result in it avoiding the heavy tax that is added on smartphones imported into the country. However, this does not necessarily mean Apple will be reducing the cost of iPhones in India.

The report adds that Apple has asked one of its Chinese suppliers to start shipping 2020 iPhone SE components to Indian manufacturing partners. This will be for assembling of new iPhone SE in the country.

Wistron is said to be Apple's manufacturing partner for the 2020 iPhone SE in India. This is despite Foxconn, Apple's other manufacturing partner, having a presence in the country already. However, as far as reports go, Foxconn has not started assembling new iPhones yet.

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While there is no confirmation, this just adds to what we already know and rumours of Apple moving its iPhone production to India. It is worth adding that the older iPhone SE was being assembled in the country until 2019.

This move comes at an opportune moment since the Indian government, a couple of weeks ago, started an initiative to increase manufacturing in the country. The government adjusted rules of its PLI scheme, making it more attractive for Apple and other companies to set up production facilities in India.

Apple partners started assembling iPhones in India back in 2017, a year after Tim Cook visited the country and talked about investments in the forms of iOS design, development center in Bengaluru and Maps development facility in Hyderabad. 

The 2020 iPhone SE starts at ₹42,500 for the base model with 64GB, ₹47,800 for the 128GB variant and ₹58,300 for the 256GB variant.