After iPhone, Apple to produce some AirPods, Beat headphones in India: Report

Apple has asked its suppliers to move some AirPods and Beats headphone production to India for the first time, Reuters reported. The development takes places days after the Cupertino-based technology giant began its iPhone 14 production in India.

The shifting of AirPods and Beat headphone production is indeed a big win for India and marks Apple's gradual diversification from China, the Nikkei reported.

According to report Luxshare Precision Industry, a Chinese supplier and its units are also planning to help Apple in making AirPods in India. However, Luxshare is focusing more on its Vietnamese AirPods operations at present.

Earlier this year, Apple had started manufacturing iPhone 13 in India and is also now planning to assemble iPad tablets. According to a Bloomberg report, the iPhone exports from India have crossed $1 billion in the five months since April, and its set to reach $2.5 billion in the next one year.

According to a Bloomberg report, about 30 lakh iPhones were made in India last year, as compared to 23 crore in China. The devices exported from India between April to August this year include iPhone 11, 12 and 13 models.

According to a recent report by JP Morgan, Apple is likely to move about five per cent of iPhone 14 production to India from late 2022 and reach 25 per cent by 2025. Also, nearly 25 per cent of all Apple products will be manufactured outside China by 2025.

A Bloomberg Intelligence analysis estimated it would take about eight years to move just 10% of Apple's production capacity out of China, where roughly 98% of the company's iPhones are being made.