iPhone 17 Early Manufacturing Work to Take Place at Indian Factory Instead of China: Report

Apple will reportedly conduct the new product introduction (NPI) process for the successor to the iPhone 16 at a factory in India.

Written by David Delima | Updated: 30 October 2024 13:47 IST

iPhone 17 Early Manufacturing Work to Take Place at Indian Factory Instead of China: Report

iPhone 17 series is expected to succeed the iPhone 16 lineup that was introduced in September

Highlights

Apple said to be conducting early production for the iPhone 17 in India
It typically produces early versions of its iPhone models in China
Early manufacturing for the iPhone 17 Pro in China is likely to continue

Apple is conducting early manufacturing of the iPhone 17 — the purported successor to the iPhone 16 that was launched earlier this year — at a factory in India, according to a report. It is expected to be the first time that the Cupertino company is conducting its product development outside China. Over the past few years, Apple has been working on diversifying its supply chain by producing recent smartphone models in regions like India and Vietnam, but it remains dependent on China for most of its manufacturing.

Citing two people aware of the company's plans, The Information reports (via 9to5Mac) that Apple is conducting early manufacturing work, or the process of turning an early design developed at Apple Park into a commercial product, at an unspecified factory in India. As part of this process, called new product introduction (or NPI), Apple tests equipment and processes to incorporate new hardware upgrades (or new designs) ahead of mass production.

This development is in line with TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's prediction in November 2023. At the time, Kuo had claimed that Apple would begin the early development of the iPhone 17 — expected to arrive in the second half of 2025 — in India instead of China.

iPhone 16 Plus Review: The One Worth Buying This Year

While Apple has been producing recent iPhone models in India and other countries, the decision to start early production of the iPhone 17 in India is significant because of the complexity involved in the process. The company usually conducts its NPI for upcoming products in China, between October and May, according to the publication.

Apple's decision to diversify its supply chain outside China started before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the company started to assemble its handsets in India starting with the iPhone SE in 2017. Back in 2022, the iPhone 14 series production in China briefly took a hit, following a pandemic-related shutdown at a Foxconn plant in China. The company also reportedly began producing its Pro models in the country this year, starting with the iPhone 16 Pro.

iPhone 16

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Plus

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Stunning display
Solid build quality and lovely colour options
Battery life is bonkers on this one
Excellent for gaming and performance (in general)
Improved cameras

Bad
Still offers a 60Hz refresh rate and misses out on AOD (always-on display)
No fast charging
Comes with USB 2
No Apple Intelligence features out of the box

Read detailed Apple iPhone 16 Plus review

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1290x2796 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Pro Max

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Massive screen size
Brilliant display
Performance beast
Camera Control is a boon
Fantastic battery life

Bad
Big phone for one-hand use
Expensive
No Apple Intelligence at launch
Slow-wired charging support

Read detailed Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review

Display 6.90-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1320x2868 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iPhone 17, iPhone 16, iPhone Manufacturing, India

David Delima

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As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More