TECH

Apple Considers Giant iPhone Expansion in India in Both Retail and Manufacturing

Mumbai, India

   

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Apple plans to expand both its retail and manufacturing operations in India, it was reported on Monday, including opening 100 new franchise stores and tripling iPhone production. in the next two years.

For some time, Apple has been considering and planning to move part of its supply chain from China to other countries. While it will be a slow move overall, the changes could have a big impact on India's manufacturing capacity.

According to a senior industry official who spoke with Mint, Apple aims to triple iPhone production in India over the next two years following a major expansion in the country.

“They want to increase the volume they produce from India, they could grow more than three times what they plan to do this year,” an unnamed executive said.

There are already plans to increase production in India, with major assembly partner Foxconn making big moves on its own. In November, it was reported that Foxconn plans to quadruple its workforce in India over a two-year period.

Foxconn is also expanding its chip manufacturing business in the country with a $500 million investment in December. It is very likely that some of the investment will go to Apple-related purposes.

At the other end of the supply chain, Tata Group plans to increase the number of Apple Store franchises in India, according to the Times of India. Communication with the project will be through Indiniti Retail, the owner of the Croma chain of stores.

Plans call for Infiniti Retail to become an Apple franchise partner and open 100 stores in malls and high streets, people familiar with the job say. The stores will be Apple Authorized Resellers of 500 to 600 square feet each, which is smaller than Apple Premium Reseller stores over 1,000 square feet.

Small stores will stock the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, but there will also be larger stores offering the entire Apple catalog.

There are currently estimated to be around 160 Apple Premium Resellers in India.

The news of the expansion comes at a time when Apple is expected to open its first non-affiliated store in India. Following delays, Apple is expected to open a flagship store in Mumbai in the first quarter of 2023.

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