iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus will be 'Made in India' by TATA group: Report

Two upcoming iPhone models - iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are expected to be manufactured in India.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are tipped to be manufactured in India. (AFP)

Apple is slowly expanding its manufacturing base in India in an effort to decrease its dependence on China. Last year, Apple expanded the production of the iPhone 14 in India. Now, reports suggest that some models of the upcoming iPhone 15 series will also be manufactured in India. As per a report by TrendForce, two standard models – iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are said to be manufactured in India, specifically by the Tata Group. This move aligns with Apple's ongoing campaign to diversify its manufacturing base and explore alternative production locations.

The Tata Group has successfully acquired Wistron's Indian production line, reports suggested. This acquisition has positioned India's largest conglomerate to take charge of manufacturing the iPhone 15 series. As Wistron is preparing to exit the Indian market, Tata's acquisition of their production line establishes them as the new contract partner for iPhone manufacturing in India, TrendForce report suggested.

Following this move, Tata will be the fourth company to enter the iPhone assembly business after Foxconn, Pegatron, and Luxshare. However, it must be noted that Tata's assembly orders for different iPhone models account for only 5 percent in 2023. Nevertheless, this figure reflects an increasing trend in Apple's production relocation, the TrendForce report highlighted. For the 2023 iPhone 15 production, Foxconn will hold the majority share, with Pegatron and Luxshare following closely behind, the report added.

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TrendForce data revealed that Foxconn is expected to handle the production of approximately 70 percent of the total iPhone 15 models and 60 percent of the iPhone 15 Plus models in the upcoming 2023 lineup.

Beginning of ‘Made in India' iPhones

Apple made its foray into iPhone manufacturing in India back in 2017, starting with the production of the first-generation iPhone SE. Since then, the company has expanded its manufacturing in India and now produces several top-selling iPhone models, including the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and the latest iPhone 14.