Apple ramps up India manufacturing with iPhone 17, eyes record festive season growth

New Delhi: Apple, which is stepping up its manufacturing push in India, has spread iPhone 17 production across five local factories, which will be available in the country from September 19. According to analysts on Wednesday, the festive season is set to herald new sales records for the US-based giant.

Apple is also expected to manufacture fewer units of the ‘Pro’ models in India, according to industry sources.

Foxconn has started rolling out iPhone 17 units at its new $2.8 billion facility in Devanahalli, near Bengaluru. The plant, which is Foxconn’s second-largest iPhone factory outside China, is now running alongside its Chennai unit.

Experts view the Bengaluru factory’s launch and the broader manufacturing shift as a major milestone in Apple’s diversification strategy.

Moreover, despite inflationary and tariff pressures affecting global supply chains, Apple has largely maintained stable US dollar pricing, supported by expanded local manufacturing in India, which mitigates geopolitical risks.

Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, told IANS that Apple now has a widest range of iPhone portfolio and is set to garner a major share in the upcoming festive season.

“Around 60-65 per cent of iPhones in India are being purchased on EMIs which would also work well for the new iPhone 17 series. From the form factor point of view, iPhone 17 Air looks stunning and will sure catch more eyeballs in the domestic market, especially with its Pro performance and best of the silicon,” he noted.

“I think the camera remains the best for iPhones in this new lineup, especially on the 17 Pro Series,” Pathak added.

While iPhone 17 (256 GB) starts at Rs 82,900, iPhone 17 Air (256 GB) begins from Rs 119,900; iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB) starts from Rs 134,900 and iPhone 17 Pro Max (256 GB) from Rs 149,900.

iPhone Air features a breakthrough titanium design that is elegant and light yet strong. The back of iPhone Air is now protected with Ceramic Shield, and the front cover uses Ceramic Shield 2, delivering 3x better scratch resistance, making iPhone Air more durable than any previous iPhone. iPhone Air also features a stunning 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion up to 120Hz.

According to Prabhu Ram, VP-Industry Research Group (IRG), CMR, with the all-new iPhone 17 series introducing a refreshed design language, Apple is well-positioned for a strong festive season in India.

“The iPhone 17 Air brings notable design innovation, likely driving upgrades from loyalists of older models, while the iPhone 17 Pro lineup features a functional, performance-focused design reminiscent of the Apple Watch Ultra, the largest battery ever in an iPhone, and a major camera leap with an 8x telephoto lens and up to 40x digital zoom. Durability enhancements, including improved drop and scratch resistance, align with growing consumer demand for longer device lifecycles,” Ram told IANS.

Combined with the strong festive-season performance of older iPhone generations, the sizeable under-penetrated upgrade pool in India presents significant growth opportunities, provided Apple can convert consumer interest into sales, he maintained.

Apple’s bet on India has already started to pay off. Between April and July this year, iPhones worth $7.5 billion were exported from India, compared to $17 billion in the entire previous fiscal year. Apple CEO Tim Cook also recently underlined India’s growing role in the company’s supply chain.

IANS