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Monday, January 13, 2025

13/01/25, BIZnews/Apple & Foxconn India

 Apple and Foxconn India have sought the government's intervention over delays in shipment of specialised manufacturing equipment from Chinese ports. While production remains unaffected for now, prolonged delays could hinder Apple's manufacturing expansion plans in India, sources said.

If China escalates such actions, it could create significant challenges for India's handset and electronics industry, which is focusing on component manufacturing to strengthen its capabilities, one of the sources cited above said.

“Shipments of specialised manufacturing equipment meant for India have been held up in China ports for several months. Government officials at the IT ministry have been informed about this issue,” the source told Moneycontrol .

“Factories need new machinery for trial runs of new iPhone models yearly. This could translate into a serious issue.”

The measures appear to be part of a broader response, potentially in retaliation for India's restrictions on visas for Chinese officials or its “selective approach to approving Chinese investments”, another source said.

The development comes as Apple advances its strategy to deepen local manufacturing and add more products such as AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks to its India-made portfolio.

Apple began manufacturing iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in India in 2024 through its contract manufacturing partners Foxconn and Pegatron. It is also increasing component production for AirPod wireless charging cases through Jabil in Pune.

Foxconn is set to start making AirPods in the second half of 2025 at its new Telangana facility.

Last year, Apple shifted part of its iPad production to Vietnam. However, as reported by Moneycontrol, the government is urging Apple to reconsider assembling iPads in India and encouraging further local manufacturing.

Chinese checkers

Although iPhone production in India remains unaffected, continued delays could disrupt its expansion plans, including immediate priorities like AirPods production, sources said.

A report by Rest of World, an international tech publication, has said Foxconn is halting new work rotations for Chinese employees at its Apple iPhone factories in India and sending Taiwanese workers instead. The report attributed this to the Chinese government suspending worker deployments and equipment exports.

The first source clarified that only a few Chinese workers are deployed at Foxconn's India factories, so local production is unlikely to face immediate challenges.

Queries sent to Apple and Foxconn didn't elicit a response.

Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, said the momentum of the China+1 strategy is benefiting India's manufacturing sector, especially amid ongoing trade tensions between Beijing and Washington as Donald Trump gets ready to take over as the US president on January 20.

“There is geopolitical pressure on the electronics market despite a thaw in India-China relations over border issues,” Pathak added.

Apple is capitalising on its aspirational brand image, increasing its presence in smaller cities, and expanding local manufacturing to secure its position in the premium and ultra-premium segments.

Bigger bite of Apple

According to Counterpoint's Research Market Outlook, India is projected to become Apple's third-largest market—after the US and China—by 2026, with local sales volumes increasing for the fifth consecutive year to 15 million units.

India is Apple's fifth-largest market, behind Japan (third) and the UK (fourth).

“Apple is estimated to ship over 11 million smartphones in 2024 with 10 percent YoY growth. A similar growth trajectory is expected in 2025, with YoY growth between 10 and 15 percent, further cementing its leadership in the high-value segment,” Pathak said.

In China, the iPhone manufacturer is seeing a steady decline in market share, as local brands gain ground even in the premium segment. This shift follows Huawei's resurgence.

According to global technology market analyst firm Canalys, Apple's market share in China fell from 24 percent in the December quarter of 2023 to 15 percent in Q1 2024. By Q3 2024, it stagnated at 14 percent, with Apple shipping 10 million units during the quarter.
source: Network18

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