Now, Apple's iPhone SE 2020 is 'Made in India'
In a major development, Apple has started making iPhone SE 2020 locally in India. The move marks a significant push for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative and comes a mere four months after iPhone SE's international launch. But, the question is - Will this mark a reduction in the device's price in the coming days? Let's find out.
Notably, Apple has itself announced the news of iPhone SE's local assembly, saying that the device packs "our most powerful chip into our most popular size at our most affordable price, and we're excited to be making it in India for our local customers." The company added that the production is being undertaken at the new Karnataka plant of its contract manufacturer Wistron.
While the statement confirms iPhone SE 2020's local manufacturing, there is no official word on when these 'Assembled in India' units will start shipping. However, if we go by the previous trends, the new stock of India-made models should be hitting online and offline stores in the coming weeks, so presumably by the second or third week of September.
Currently, iPhone SE starts at Rs. 42,500, but that includes the 20% customs duty Apple has to pay to import the device to India. With local assembling, this burden will be removed and Apple might be able to transfer some of those savings to consumers. The price cut is not yet confirmed but you can expect some discounts on SE in the coming weeks.
This announcement makes iPhone SE the sixth Apple-made product to be manufactured in India. The company began local manufacturing back in 2017 and has since produced the original iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, iPhone Xr, and iPhone 11 through its contract manufacturers in the country. Recent reports have suggested that the upcoming iPhone 12 will also be produced in India next year.
Evidently, we may see more iPhones being manufactured in India, given that Apple's contract manufacturers Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron have applied for a $6.64 billion scheme under the government's production-linked incentive (PLI) plan. Foxconn and Wistron already have operational plants in India, while Pegatron, Apple's second-largest assembler for iPhones, is also said to be working to launch one later this year.
