Global Availability from India
Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 series, manufactured in India, will be available globally within the first few days of its launch, marking a significant milestone for India's growing manufacturing sector and the Make-in-India initiative. This is the first time a global product made in India will be distributed worldwide so soon after its release.
The iPhone 16 series is set to be unveiled on Monday, with global sales expected to begin 10 to 12 days later. Foxconn, one of Apple's primary contract manufacturers, has already commenced production of the series in India. Notably, even the high-end iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models will be shipped overseas from Indian factories.
This rapid global availability represents a significant improvement from previous years. In 2021, India-made iPhone 13 models reached global outlets a few months after their launch. By 2022, the gap for the iPhone 14 was reduced to less than two weeks. Last year, Apple achieved simultaneous production for the iPhone 15 in India and China, though the Indian-made devices were only available locally on the first day of sales.
India currently contributes around 14% of Apple's total global production, up from 7% last year. Apple aims to move 25% of its iPhone production to India by 2025 as part of its strategy to reduce dependency on China.
Apple's contract manufacturers, including Foxconn Hon Hai, Pegatron, and Wistron (now owned by Tata Group), produced iPhones worth Rs 1.20 trillion in India during the financial year that ended on March 31, 2024, with exports valued at Rs 85,000 crore.
This year's made-in-India iPhone 16 series will be available in various countries within days of the retail launch on September 10. Apple continues to lead mobile phone exports from India, serving as the flagship participant in the Indian government's production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for smartphones. This initiative aims to boost local manufacturing and increase exports.