Apple’s fourth iPhone assembler is the TATA Group. That means they can make iPhone for India and other countries soon. This work can be officially started in August this year. As a result, Tata Group will become the first company in India, under whose hands the iPhone will be manufactured in India from now on. Tata Group is soon going to acquire a factory of Taiwan based Wistron Corporation located in Karnataka. According to a Bloomberg report, the two sides are close to reaching an agreement. The Tata group’s deal could boost India’s profile in the hardware manufacturing segment, which was one of the goals of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Bloomberg said in their report, the potential value of Wistron Corporation’s factory in Karnataka could be more than $600 million (4000 crores). And more than 10,000 workers are currently employed in this factory. Who made the latest iPhone 14 models.
Meanwhile, Wistron plans to exit the iPhone business in India, but is said to have a contract with Apple till March 2024. They also promised to make at least $1.8 billion worth of iPhones from this factory. The company also plans to triple the number of employees at the plant within the next year. However, the Tata Group has said it will carry out the incomplete works of Wistron after the handover of the factory.
Currently, Taiwanese companies like Fraxcon Technology Group, Pegatron Corp, apart from Wistron are assembling iPhones for Apple in India. However, Tata Group will soon do the same for Apple in India.
India is attracting other smartphone companies to set up factories
Tata’s move has also seen several tech companies looking at India as an alternative to China for assembling their devices. Apple has already chosen India as its next manufacturing hub. According to a report last month, iPhone production in India could grow by 18 percent by 2025, up from 7% growth in 2023.
Incidentally, Samsung has already set up the “World’s Largest Mobile Factory” in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Many Chinese brands, including Xiaomi and Vivo, are also manufacturing their devices in the country and exporting them elsewhere.
Last month, the Indian cellular and electronics industry body ‘India Cellular and Electronics Association’ (ICAI) told ANS that smartphone exports from the country grew by 128 percent in April and May. Phone exports from India in May were around Rs 12,000 crore, of which iPhone exports accounted for Rs 10,000 crore.
