According to a source Apple plans to start manufacturing the iPhone 12 locally in India. Apple partner Wistron officially kicks off the latest production program sometime in the middle of next year. The Cupertino giant already is manufacturing some of the country's latest iPhone models. These include the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR as well as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7. Back in May 2017 Wistron began assembling iPhone models in the country.
The iPhone 12, which Apple is yet to officially launch, will be the seventh iPhone model to be manufactured in India, Business Standard says. The newspaper, quoting people familiar with the development, said manufacturing process would take place at the Karnataka facility in Wistron.
So far, Apple has localised the country's production of five iPhone models, with the iPhone 11 being the latest model to get make-in - India treatment in July. Wistron is also reportedly preparing to start manufacturing of the iPhone SE (2020) in the country by the end of this year sometime.
The Business Standard study also notes that Wistron plans to employ around 10,000 workers at a new facility to improve the local manufacturing process in a phased way. Nevertheless, the facility actually has a headcount of about 1,000 staff. In addition, the contract manufacturer is said to have a planned investment of more than Rs. 2,900 crores to improve its operations.
The new facility by Wistron is situated in the Kolar district of Narasapura in Karnataka and about 70 kilometers from Bengaluru, according to a different article by The New Indian Express. This is the contract manufacturer 's second facility in Karnataka following the first facility at Peenya in Bengaluru where it also produces the older iPhone models.
Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad announced earlier this month that Apple's contract manufacturers Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron had applied for a $6.64 billion ( approximately Rs. 49,768 crores) plan under the government's production-linked incentive (PLI) program to accept and increase the country's local production. Both Foxconn and Wistron are already manufacturing iPhone models locally, although Pegatron has yet to start its local manufacturing in the country. But the latter is also actively engaged in talks with authorities to start operations in the country soon.
It is speculated that Apple will launch the iPhone 12 series sometime in October – alongside the new Apple Watch and iPad variants. The company confirmed the late last month's launch delay.
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