Foxconn Kicks Off iPhone 17 Production At Bengaluru Plant

Foxconn has reportedly kicked off production of Apple’s iPhone 17 at a small scale in its Bengaluru manufacturing unit.

“Foxconn Bengaluru unit has commenced operation with the production of iPhone 17. This is in addition to the production of iPhone 17 at its Chennai unit,” an ET report said, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Inc42 has reached out to Foxconn and Apple for comments on the development. The story will be updated based on their responses.

The development comes at a time when Foxconn is reportedly planning double iPhone production to 25-30 Mn units at its India facilities in the ongoing calendar year.

A Closer Look At Foxconn’s Facility Production Levels

As a part of its move to expand operations, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer acquired a 300-acre plot near Bengaluru airport in 2023. The facility spanning across Doddaballapur and Devanahalli taluks is now the company’s second-largest manufacturing plant after its Longhua factory in China.

Foxconn has committed an investment of about INR 25,000 Cr for the said facility and is projected to have a production capacity of 20 Mn smartphones annually.

The factory commenced production last year.

In April, the company was reportedly in discussions to acquire a 300-acre plot along the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida.

Apple Bolstering Its iPhone Manufacturing In India

Reports from July indicate that Foxconn has recalled more than 300 Chinese engineers and technicians from its Indian production facilities, posing a challenge to the latter’s electronics manufacturing capacity.

However, the ever-changing tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump have posed several challenges to businesses worldwide.

While Apple previously relied on China for approximately 80% of its iPhone production, the company is actively diversifying its supply chain by shifting some manufacturing to India and other countries.

As of April, the Cupertino-based company was looking to manufacture the entire volume of iPhones sold in the US, roughly 60 Mn units annually, entirely in India.

In terms of Apple’s sales, it saw a 13.4% revenue jump from iPhone sales globally to $44.6 Bn in the April-June quarter, largely driven by the iPhone 16 family.

Apple also revealed its plans to double down on retail stores in India, targeting four new stores in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and Noida later this year.