Updated Aug 21, 2025 14:40 IST
Foxconn has initiated small-scale production of the iPhone 17 at its newly established facility in Bengaluru.
Taiwanese electronics titan Foxconn, the preeminent manufacturer of iPhones globally, has commenced the manufacture of the iPhone 17 at its new Bengaluru facility, thus marking the operational inception of its second-largest production site beyond China.
Situated in Devanahalli, Bengaluru, this factory was set up with a substantial investment of $2.8 billion (approximately Rs 25,000 crore). A source privy to the developments indicated to the news agency PTI.
“The Foxconn unit in Bengaluru has begun operations with the production of the iPhone 17. This complements the ongoing production at its Chennai facility.”
Initial production faced a temporary setback due to the sudden return of hundreds of Chinese engineers; however, Foxconn swiftly remedied this situation by sourcing expertise from Taiwan and other locales, ensuring operational continuity.
Apple’s Production and Market Expansion
Apple has ambitious plans to bolster its iPhone manufacturing footprint in India, aiming to ramp up production to 60 million units this year, up from approximately 35-40 million units in the preceding fiscal year (2024-25).
In the fiscal year concluding on March 31, 2025, Apple reportedly assembled around $22 billion worth of iPhones in India, reflecting a remarkable 60 percent year-on-year increase.
During a financial results announcement on July 31, CEO Tim Cook noted that the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. during the second quarter of 2025 were dispatched from India, underscoring the nation’s escalating significance in Apple’s global supply chain.
Cook had earlier proclaimed in the Q2 earnings call that all iPhones sold in the U.S. during the June quarter would be shipped from India.
According to S&P Global analysis, U.S. iPhone sales were reported at 75.9 million units in 2024, with 3.1 million units exported from India in March 2025, highlighting the pressing necessity to enhance shipments, either through expanded capacity or by reallocating those earmarked for the local market.
DK Shivakumar’s Statement on a ‘Historic Moment’
In the meantime, Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, heralded this development as a “historic moment” for the state. In a communication shared on X, he remarked:
“Namma Bengaluru Takes India to the Apple Era! Bengaluru is inscribing history as the manufacturing of the iPhone 17 commences at Foxconn’s new facility with an Rs 25,000 crore investment.”
India’s Smartphone Market Performance
Apple continues to fortify its stature within the Indian market. Domestic supplies escalated by 21.5 percent year-on-year to reach 5.9 million units in the first half of 2025, where the iPhone 16 emerged as the most frequently shipped model.
In the June 2025 quarter, Apple’s iPhone shipments in India experienced a 19.7 percent annual increase, securing a market share of 7.5 percent in the country’s smartphone segment.
Nevertheless, the Indian smartphone market during the June quarter was predominantly led by the Chinese manufacturer Vivo, which commanded a 19 percent market share, according to data from IDC.
Source link: Etnownews.com.
