Apple has started selling iPhones made in India in parts of Europe – this has many advantages not only for Apple but also for India.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple has been shipping iPhones from India to some European markets - the 6S and 7th generation. The move was confirmed by Foxconn CEO Terry Gou earlier this year - but Gou was unable to give a launch date at the time. The phones are manufactured by Wistron Corp. and come from a factory in Bengaluru. The move is beneficial for both sides - both for Apple and India. For Apple, there is no risk of being hit with punitive tariffs on exports - keyword trade war - and for India, this is a further development in the export business.
Apple could gain further foothold in India
Apple has also asked Wistron, Foxconn and Pegatron to look into shifting 30 percent of their production outside of China - India would also be worth looking into. According to an article in the IndiaTimes, iPhones are currently being exported in quantities of less than 100,000 units per month. The data was provided by Neil Shah - Head of Research at Counterpoint Research.
"For Foxconn, the Chinese iPhone market is saturated, and labor costs are three times higher than in India," said an analyst at Counterpoint Research. "India is still an emerging smartphone market and has significant domestic potential," the analyst added.
An expansion in India could help Apple gain a further foothold in the country. AirPods 2 with wireless charging case on offer on Amazon
