Apple Starts IPhone 17 Production Test In India, Steps To Diversify Manufacturing

JAKARTA Apple is rumored to have started the process of developing and testing the iPhone 17 model in India. This marks the first time the company has shifted part of iPhone production from China. According to a report from The Information, Apple is conducting initial testing for the conversion of the iPhone 17 prototype design to the mass manufacturing stage at the Foxconn facility in Bangalore, India.

Apple is known for its devices designed in California, but the New Product Introduction (NPI) process or the introduction of new products is usually done at the plant, which aims to ensure the prototype is ready for mass production.

This time, part of the NPI for the basic iPhone 17 with the code name V57 was carried out in India, while the Pro variant was still being worked on in China. This basic model is said to be simpler than the Pro version, making it suitable as the first step in testing production outside China.

This year, Apple expanded its operations in India, including opening a new office in Bangalore. The iPhone 17 production test at the Foxconn plant in Bangalore includes material experiments and production processes. This stage usually takes place between October and May, but this time it started earlier because the iPhone 17 design has passed the "proto-1" stage, where thousands of prototype units were made to test the quality of the building.

Engineers from Apple and Foxconn, including teams from India, were involved in this test. If successful, the finalized iPhone 17 production process will be replicated in other factories, including in China.

Apple's move to move iPhone production trials to India is in line with manufacturing diversification efforts that have been carried out in recent years. In December 2023, Apple also shifted part of the production of the iPad to Vietnam. This effort reflects Apple's long-term strategy to reduce dependence on China as its only manufacturing hub.