Apple is considering India as its top choice to move iPhone production out of China, but the company’s plan is thwarted because of problems in a key component supply chain.
As part of its strategy to diversify production and continue to maximize efficiency in iPhone production, distribution, and sales, Apple has expanded its iPhone manufacturing operations in India. To do this, the company needs some local iPhone parts manufacturing partners, and that’s where the company is struggling.
According to a recent report from MacRumors, “only 50% of iPhone cases made in India meet Apple’s quality standards”, which makes “the company is having problems expanding its production activities due to the fact that the company is not able to expand its production capacity.” component production is poor and progress is slow”.
The issue centers on a factory run by Tata, now a supplier of iPhone cases to Apple in India, located in Hosur province. According to the report, only one out of two iPhone cases produced at this factory meets the requirements needed to be shipped to the assembly plant Foxconn – one of Apple’s most important strategic partners.
Problems with Tata factory-made iPhone cases contain serious defects that detract from the aesthetics. This goes against Apple’s production goals and causes an environmental impact by increasing the amount of e-waste. Meanwhile, Apple attaches great importance to both the quality of its products and the commitment to the environment associated with the manufacture of its devices, so this is quite an important issue.
The case of India is completely different from Apple’s current partner factories in China. Not only do they meet Apple’s requirements, but suppliers and government officials take a “no matter what” approach ready to fulfill orders weeks ahead of time and “at an inexplicable rate.” Okay”.
Apple has been manufacturing iPhone models in India since 2017, starting with the first-generation iPhone SE. Last year, the company significantly increased production in India when producing iPhone 14 models. With a long time to set up such a production line, manufacturers in India have not been able to yet. solved the weakness in the component manufacturing process, so much so that former Apple engineers said that “nothing of urgency was done”.
Tata is said to have ambitions to become a major supplier to Apple in the future and is in talks to take over a struggling iPhone assembly plant in Karnataka. However, if the focus is not on quality improvement, this plan of the Indian company may be affected.