For the first time in history, Apple is making iPhones outside of China

Apple is expected to make a major shift in its global strategy by announcing that it will manufacture its entire iPhone 17 lineup - including the high-end Pro version - at factories in India.

This is the first time in history that the entire new generation iPhone has been assembled outside of China from the day it was launched.

This move is not only a shift in production geography, but also a clear sign that Apple is “limiting” its dependence on China in a real way, amid geopolitical tensions and continued volatility in the global supply chain.

The strategy of reducing dependence on China is not new for Apple. Since the COVID-19 pandemic and severe disruptions to its supply chain in 2020, the Cupertino, California-based corporation has begun to seriously reconsider its “single-point” manufacturing model.

During President Donald Trump’s second term, Apple continued to face intense pressure as the US government imposed high tariffs on technology products manufactured in China. Although the iPhone was exempted from some tariffs, the company is expected to suffer a loss of up to $1.1 billion in the current fiscal year if it does not shift production.

The shift to India – where the government is aggressively promoting the “Make in India” program and offering manufacturing incentives to tech companies – has become a vital strategic option.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple has now allocated the production of the entire iPhone 17 series to five factories in India, of which two key facilities play a key role: the Tata Group factory in Hosur (Tamil Nadu) is expected to handle nearly 50% of iPhone production in India in the next two years, marking a major step forward in the partnership between Apple and domestic Indian corporations, and the Foxconn factory near Bengaluru airport is operating at full capacity to ensure iPhone shipments to the US and European markets from the first day of launch.

From April to July 2025, iPhone exports from India reached $7.5 billion, compared to $17 billion in the entire 2024-2025 fiscal year - a figure that clearly shows the impressive growth rate and long-term potential of the new "golden stronghold" in Apple's strategy.

Apple's decision to move all iPhone 17s out of China and assemble them in India is a strong signal for the entire consumer electronics industry.

Component makers, hardware partners and even global logistics companies are now adjusting their investment plans to prioritize India, a country with both a large domestic market and competitive labor costs.

The decision to manufacture all iPhone 17s in India is a testament to the ongoing shift in the global value chain structure. As a trendsetter, Apple is setting a new standard for the global technology industry: distributed manufacturing, adaptive geopolitics, and optimizing local advantages.

With its technological potential, young workforce and strong government support, India is gradually becoming the world's high-tech manufacturing hub - not only for Apple, but for the future of the global electronics industry./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/lan-dau-tien-trong-lich-su-apple-san-xuat-iphone-ben-ngoai-trung-quoc-post1056844.vnp