Apple reportedly intends to shift the assembly of all iPhones destined for the US market to India, aiming to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturing amid geopolitical tensions. According to the Financial Times, this transition could occur as early as next year. Apple has been affected by aggressive tariff policies under the Trump administration, though a White House decision excluded smartphones from the heaviest tariffs on Chinese goods. Despite this, Apple remains exposed to a 20% levy on Chinese products due to issues like Fentanyl production. Currently, about 90% of iPhones are assembled in China, but Apple plans to source over 60 million units annually from India by the end of 2026. This would require more than doubling iPhone assembly in India. Apple has already increased production there, with suppliers Foxconn and Tata shipping nearly $2 billion worth of handsets to the US in March. Analysts do not expect iPhone production to move to the US due to high costs, with estimates suggesting an American-made iPhone could cost over three times as much. Experts also note the lack of facilities and skilled labor in the US for such assembly.
— new from The Guardian
