Apple Moves AirPods, Outpaces Headphone Manufacturing in India: Report

Apple is reportedly gearing up to manufacture AirPods and Beats headphones in India as the tech giant doubles down on assembling new iPhones in the country.

Nikkei Asia reported on Wednesday that Apple has asked its suppliers to move production of some AirPods and Beats headphones to India for the first time.

iPhone assembler Foxconn is preparing to make Beats headphones in the country and also plans to make AirPods there, the report said.

“The move is part of Apple’s gradual diversification away from China as it seeks to reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions stemming from the country’s strict zero-covid-19 policy and tensions with the US,” it added.

AirPods are second only to the iPhone in terms of shipments for Apple.

Currently, AirPods are made in Vietnam and China, and most Beats headphones are made in Vietnam. The “Made in India” iPhone 14 will also be shipped to Europe soon.

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In addition to India’s push for local manufacturing, Apple has started production of the new iPhone 14 in India, a first for the tech giant as it narrows the production period for new iPhones in India with China, its key global manufacturing hub.

The locally-built iPhone 14 will go on sale in the country in the fourth quarter as the company ramps up its plans for local manufacturing/assembly, spending billions of dollars.

At this rate, industry analysts predict that next year, Apple could manufacture the iPhone 15 in India at the same time as in China.

As India doubles its domestic production of tech products, Apple is likely to move 5 percent of production of its new iPhone 14 to India by the end of this year and 25 percent by 2025, according to an analysis by JP Morgan.

Supporting ease of doing business and local-friendly manufacturing policies, Apple’s “Make in India” iPhones will potentially account for nearly 85 percent of the country’s total iPhone production this year.

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