Research firm TrendForce has reported that Tata Group is poised to become Apple’s fourth contract manufacturer for the iPhone. This development comes after Tata Group acquired the factory of Wistron Corp, a Taiwanese manufacturing company in Karnataka. The move signifies an acceleration in the trend of shifting iPhone production away from China. TrendForce stated in a recent blog post that the industry giant has secured orders for the upcoming iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models, which are scheduled to be launched later this year. This suggests that India will be among the first countries to receive shipments of the new iPhone series. However, the blog post did not provide further details. Tata to begin with at least 5 per cent of global orders According to TrendForce, it is common for new suppliers to initially receive smaller orders for entry-level models, following Apple’s established pattern. TrendForce estimates that Tata will receive approximately 5 per cent of Apple’s global assembly orders for various iPhone models in 2023. The remaining orders will be divided among Foxconn Technology Group, Pegatron Corp, and Luxshare Precision Industry Co and their factories all around the world, including India. Apple’s move away from China By securing iPhone’s supply orders, Tata has become a prominent player in Apple’s ongoing shift away from China in its manufacturing supply chain. TrendForce highlighted that Apple has been expediting the diversification of its supply sources due to geopolitical and pandemic factors, with India being the most prominent example of such transfers. The risk of China losing its primary role in Apple’s manufacturing supply chain has heightened, especially after Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, experienced significant disruptions at its manufacturing complex in Zhengzhou, the largest iPhone factory in the world, last year. Tata’s acquisition of Wistron’s iPhone manufacturing facility Tata successfully completed the acquisition of Wistron’s iPhone manufacturing facility in the Narsapura industrial area in the southern state of Karnataka at the end of last month. Wistron’s expansive factory, spanning 2.2 million square feet, is situated slightly over 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Bangalore, the capital and largest city of Karnataka. Tata’s acquisition encompasses all eight iPhone assembly lines within the plant, as well as its workforce of 10,000 individuals, including a few thousand engineers, as reported by Bloomberg in January. Wistron, on the other hand, will continue to serve as a service partner for iPhones in India. This acquisition also signifies Wistron’s departure from the iPhone assembly business. The Taiwanese company faced significant challenges in its operations last year when workers engaged in a violent rampage, citing grievances related to unpaid wages and exploitation. This incident prompted Apple to intervene and conduct an investigation to determine whether Wistron had violated its supplier guidelines. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Tata Group will start making iPhones in India and will make at least 5 per cent of all iPhones sold globally in 2023. The group will also start making iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus later this year, and will have their production quotas increased.
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