Future iPhones may no longer come with an “assembled in China” wording located at the back of the phone as it appears that Apple has reached a deal with India that would see some of the devices being made in the country.
Apple’s intentions to make iPhones in Bengaluru will foster cutting-edge technology ecosystem & supply chain development in the state.
— Priyank Kharge (@PriyankKharge) February 2, 2017
Priyank Kharge, the IT minister for the Indian state of Karnataka, has told Bloomberg that manufacturing of the iPhones will begin in the state capital of Bangalore by the end of April. The decision to manufacture iPhones in India comes from a partnership between Apple and Taiwanese contract manufacturer Wistron. Besides the partnership, Apple has reportedly put forward a list of demands during its negotiations with India’s federal government. One of the clause that was included during the negotiations is a 15-year tax holiday to import components and equipment.
While Kharge has mentioned nothing of Apple’s demands, the man has tweeted that Apple decision to manufacture iPhones in India would “foster cutting-edge technology ecosystem and supply chain development in the state”. Apple’s Tim Cook has reportedly shown confidence in the company’s decision to expand in India, stating that this is a great move in the longer term during the post-earnings call that was held this week. “We are in discussions on a number of things, including retail stores, and fully intend to invest significantly in the country,” Cook says.
Source: Bloomberg
