What you need to know
- Apple may be considering an iPhone assembly plant in Pakistan.
- Business leader Javed Afridi says he is in talks with Apple over the move.
- It could help reduce import tariffs on products, much like a similar venture in India.
Pakistan business leader Javed Afridi says he is in talks with Apple to bring an iPhone assembly plant to the country.
Afridi made the revelation on Twitter in response to a question from journalist Shiffa Yousafzai:
Already in touch with @Apple !Already in touch with @Apple !— Javed Afridi (@JAfridi10) March 11, 2022March 11, 2022
Afridi is best known as the owner of Pakistan's MG JW Automobile, and the CEO of Haier & Ruba. He is also the chairman and owner of Pakistani T20 cricket franchise Peshawar Zalmi. Haier is a leading Pakistani supplier of home appliances and tech including laptops and LED TVs.
The murmurings could be reminiscent of a similar deal Apple did in India in order to onshore iPhone assembly in the country there. Like India, iPhones and other Apple products sold in Pakistan are subject to high import tariffs if they aren't made locally, driving up the price.
If Apple was able to set up some form of manufacturing it could reduce the impact of these tariffs to make its best iPhones more affordable and accessible in the country. Apple saves around 22% on import duties by making its phones in India instead of importing them. It would also help Apple reduce its reliance on its supply chain in China, a weakness highlighted by the pandemic which saw heavy disruption to supply in the early part of 2020. Like India, Apple could also consider using phones made in Pakistan for export as well as the local market.
Apple announced its new iPhone SE earlier this week, featuring 5G and the A15 chip from the iPhone 13, a great budget option at just $429.
