Foxconn starts iPhone 17 trial production in India for Apple

• Foxconn begins iPhone 17 trial production in India.
• India to produce Pro models, boosting Apple’s local role.
• Apple tackles staffing gaps by bringing in foreign engineers.

Foxconn has started bringing some essential materials for the iPhone 17 into India, which is a key step in trial production ahead of the future release of Apple’s new smartphone. Apple is expected to reveal the iPhone 17 in September this year, and trial production highlights Apple's intent to develop India's position in Apple's global production network and reduce its reliance on China as part of its supply chain.

In June, Foxconn shipped crucial modules for the iPhone 17, like the display assembly and rear camera module. Volume production is scheduled to start for the iPhone 17 in August.

Customs data indicates iPhone 17 components were about 10% of total Foxconn shipments to India from China that month, while the bulk supported Foxconn's ongoing assembly of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 16 for the expected sales explosive sales in India's festivals.

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India is steadily evolving in Apple’s supply chain. They were part of the New Product Introduction (NPI) for iPhone 16 and will now also be there for iPhone 17 Pro. Tata Electronics, along with Foxconn, will also be producing the iPhone 17 casing. They are helping to support Apple’s vision of growing India into an export hub. Exports to the U.S. increased 219% y-o-y in March this year.

Foxconn does face staffing problems, as it is short of skilled workers after relatively many Chinese engineers have left their positions. Apple got around this by sending in employees from other countries to maintain output numbers.

The phone symbolizes Apple’s ongoing progress to close the production gap between India and China and enhance the emergence of India as a core manufacturing market.