Apple has been shifting its operations away, from China due to the trade tensions between the US and China and is now looking at India as a location for manufacturing iPhones and developing component manufacturing facilities there as per recent reports. It has also been reported that Apple is currently in the early stages of testing the production of the standard iPhone 17 in India for the first time.
iPhone 17 Testing Begins in India
As per a report, from The Information, Foxconn’s Bengaluru facility is currently performing production and feasibility trials for the version of the upcoming model. This particular phase known as New Production Introduction (NPI) entails Apple evaluating the capability of engineers in transforming a prototype developed in Cupertino into a mass production-ready iPhone 17 handset. The report states that the Indian plant has finished the trial named Proto One with success where a single production line manufactured thousands of iPhone 17 units (known internally as V57).
This refinement process involves making changes to designs and materials by trying out equipment and procedures. The objective is to ensure that iPhone development occurs closer to the assembly site, allowing for the mass production of millions of defect-free devices daily, ultimately reducing operational costs for Apple. Apple plans to complete the manufacturing process of the upcoming iPhone, in India by summer if everything goes as expected.
This development phase typically takes place from October to May, after which similar processes will be replicated at other locations, including Foxconn in China. The regular iPhone 17 is expected to have a 6.1-inch screen size and will be equipped with an Apple A19 chip along, with a 24-megapixel front camera and a dual rear camera setup of 48MP+12MP, the 17 Pro series may still undergo its NPI in China.
There are rumors of a model like the iPhone 17 Air or Slim that may replace the Plus version and stand out as the slimmest option in the series lineup. The basic versions such, as the “Air” variant might offer an 8GB RAM configuration while the Pro variants could feature an end 12GB RAM option. The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to feature a vapor chamber integrated with graphite sheets to help with heat dispersion.
FAQs
Why is Apple moving iPhone manufacturing to India?
Apple is shifting some of its manufacturing operations to India to reduce reliance on China amid ongoing US-China trade tensions and to lower operational costs.
What features can we expect from the iPhone 17?
The iPhone 17 is expected to feature a 6.1-inch display, an Apple A19 SoC, a 24MP front camera, and a 48MP+12MP rear camera setup.
