A new report says that Apple's iPhone 14 is indeed going to be made in India like previous models, but that production is going to kick off a couple of months after launch, rather than earlier as we'd previously heard.
A new report from Bloomberg Tuesday states that Apple "plans to begin manufacturing the iPhone 14 in India about two months after the product’s initial release out of China."
While this would still be a marked change from the usual six to nine-month lag between India and China for iPhone manufacturing, this report contradicts news from prolific Apple insider and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claimed earlier this month that Apple's next best iPhone would be made in India from day one.
Closing the gap
Three weeks ago, Kuo claimed that Foxconn's iPhone production site in India would ship the new 6.1-inch iPhone 14 "almost simultaneously with China for the first time in 2H22."
While this new report suggests that Apple is looking to close the manufacturing gap between India and China, Bloomberg today states that there will still be a two-month wait.
The report states that Apple "has been working with suppliers to ramp up manufacturing in India and shorten the lag in production of the new iPhone from the typical six to nine months for previous launches" and is "seeking alternatives" to manufacture in China because of COVID lockdowns that have disrupted production and Xi Jinping's administration clashing with the U.S. government.
The report says that Foxconn has studied its iPhone 14 manufacturing process in China to apply the same methods in India including "looking at ways to maintain Apple’s high standards for confidentiality." This is reportedly a big area of concern, with Foxconn officials having considered "cornering off a section of one of Foxconn’s multiple assembly lines, sequestering workers and scrutinizing all possible ways in which the security around the device could be compromised." Apple's drastic security controls are reportedly a big challenge to replicate in India. The company is also reportedly concerned about Indian customs officials "who typically open up packages to check whether imported materials match their declarations," another secrecy issue.
Apple's iPhone 14 is expected to be unveiled early next month. The device should feature camera upgrades, as well as a new always-on display and a redesigned notch for the 'Pro' models.
