India is the second largest smartphone market in the world. However, its status as a developing country means that per capita income is low. The latest data from The Human Development Index (HDI) shows that 25% of Indians get by earning less than $1.25 USD each day. As a result, value manufacturers like Xiaomi have done well in this market. Most of the Apple iPhone models sold in India tend to be lower priced older models. To make them even cheaper, Apple started manufacturing in the country a couple of years ago. This helped the handsets avoid a $100 USD import tax and was in sync with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” campaign.
Now, it appears that Apple has started promoting the “Incredible”
in India. The image of one such ad was disseminated in a tweet
(via
) and not only brags that the device is now made in India, it also lists the price of 26,910 Rupees (equivalent to $383 USD at current exchange rates). The
was released in September 2015 and is equipped with a 4.7-inch display. The Apple A9 SoC is under the hood, and on back you’ll find a 12MP camera. A 5MP Face Time camera is also included as is Touch ID, and a 3.5mm earphone jack.
Apple is planning on expanding its iPhone production in India to high-end models
Late last year, there was some more news regarding Apple’s Indian iPhone manufacturing plans. Contract manufacturer Foxconn will reportedly
assemble higher-end iPhone models at its factory
in Sriperumbudur. Foxconn, which already produces Xiaomi handsets in the country, is expected to start a trial production run of the
in India. If that goes well, Apple could soon add the “Made in India” label on local ads for the
,
and
. There is also talk about Foxconn assembling the yet to be announced 2019 iPhones in the country. The company is believed to be spending $356 million to expand its Indian facilities and could add as many as 25,000 new employees.
If you are wondering about the 2018 iPhone models globally, Foxconn accounts for the assembly of all
units, 90% of the
and 75% of the
. Pegatron is said to produce the remaining phones. Because these companies assemble the devices in China, there are concerns that the current U.S.-China trade war could result in the imposition of tariffs on iPhone models made in China and shipped to the states. One well-respected analyst, Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty, says that the price of the iPhone XR could rise by $160 in the U.S. if the model becomes subject to the 25% import tax levied on billions of Chinese goods delivered to America. Apple could avoid tariffs if it moves production to India, but that would surely limit the number of units produced. And there is also the huge job of moving the supply chain. If the iPhone is included in the next round of tariffs, Apple will probably eat some of the tax. It currently is
absorbing the import tax placed on its iPhone and iPad cases
.