Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen).
Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit
After tasting success with iPhone production, Apple is all geared up to assemble AirPods in India.
The Cupertino-based company is collaborating with supply partner Jabil to make the AirPods casing at the latter's plant in Pune. And, the rest of the components will be fully assembled to make AirPods at Foxcon's unit in Telangana, reported The Times Of India citing company sources.
The scale of AirPods production is touted to be as big as iPhones, with a major portion marked for exports. What's interesting is that, unlike for iPhones, there is no Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the wearables category in India. Despite that, Apple is going ahead with assembling AirPods.
It is believed that the demand for AirPods is currently higher in the Western markets than in India. Over time, AirPods are expected to gain more traction in the subcontinent, as more and more iPhones reach wider regions beyond cities in India.
Apple's device ecosystem is deeply integrated and delivers a better user experience compared to other brands.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
DH Photo/KVN Rohit
Due to geo-political tensions between the US and China, Apple in the mid-2010s, started to diversify device manufacturing from China to multiple markets including Vietnam and India.
This China + one/two strategy has done good for Apple. Also, thanks to the central government's Make-in-India efforts, the sub-continent has become the second biggest smartphone hub in the world.
Apple's iPhone makes up the bulk of the total smartphone production in the subcontinent. The company assembled $14 billion worth of iPhones in India in fiscal year till March 2024, accounting for as much as 14 per cent of its global output.
AirPods production is expected to further increase in the coming years.
Currently, Apple partners such as Foxconn, Luxshare and Pegatron have set up big assembling plants in southern India including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
Apple is also working with Tata Group, which recently took over the massive 40-acre Wistron Corp plant in Kolar, Karnataka to assemble iPhones.
Recent reports have indicated that Apple and its supply partners will soon set up plants to assemble iPads, and related accessories in India.
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