Apple starts iPhone 13 production in India

Apple is starting production of the iPhone 13 in India, which is almost a must for the Cupertino company.

Apple has started production of one of its latest iPhones in India. Reuters reports that the American giant has begun production of the iPhone 13 in the country. Although the Cupertino-based company did not specify what kind of plant it was, the source says that the Foxconn complex in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, was responsible for assembling the devices. This is the fourth iPhone made in India. The Apple brand began production in the country in 2017 with the original iPhone SE.

Apple starts iPhone 13 production in India

There is nothing surprising about this initiative. The Indian government has used several levers to pressure companies to manufacture their products locally, including investment rules requiring at least 30% local materials. An increase in taxes on imports also played a big role. If Apple didn’t produce the iPhone 13 locally, the device would certainly be too expensive compared to competitors who already produce domestically.

An almost obligatory initiative for the Cupertino company

The Cupertino-based company has also diversified its production outside of China, in part to avoid the various commercial and other inherent problems of relying too heavily on the same country, in this case China. Indian manufacturing could help Apple offset manufacturing difficulties in China. The company will also consider moving some AirPods and MacBook production to Vietnam. Unfortunately, according to the Nikkei, the pandemic would have greatly delayed this project.

The launch of this production in India is also happening despite numerous incidents with Indian workers. Riots even broke out at the Wistron iPhone factory in the Narasapura industrial area at the end of 2020. Employees complained about non-payment of wages, overtime hours and harsh working conditions. Apple has placed Wistron on probation until it fixes these issues, but it’s clear that this crisis hasn’t helped Apple increase its manufacturing operations in the country.