Apple iPhone 17 Production Begins in India: A First for Apple Manufacturing!
Apple has begun its early mass production work for its upcoming iPhone 17 model. The NPI process, the first phase of development, was previously done by Apple in China. However, Foxconn's Bengaluru unit is going to do it this year for the base iPhone 17 model. It involves testing the different materials and manufacturing techniques to turn prototypes into mass-producible devices.
iPhone 17 Ready in Bengaluru to be Manufactured
NPI, that is the general phase running from October to May of every year, is one of the crucial stages for refining prototype designs before producing them on a large scale. According to sources, Apple has allegedly passed one of the earliest NPI milestones for its basic version of iPhone 17 called V57; the latter has reached the proto-1 stage in which hundreds of thousands are manufactured and tested for the production quality. Engineers from Foxconn as well as some Indians in Apple are participating in this process.
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Premium Versions Still In China
Although the base model iPhone 17 will be developed in India, Apple's premium iPhone 17 Pro and the rumored iPhone 17 Air will still be developed in China, which has been the heart of Apple's premium device production. However, if the NPI process works out for India, then it may open the gates for further expansion of Apple's manufacturing efforts in the country.
Apple Expanding in India
Apple has been building its presence in India step by step. The company has increased production to include all models of the latest iPhone lineup in the country, including Pro models, since it started manufacturing the iPhone SE in India in 2017. Apple has also increased its retail footprint by opening stores in Mumbai and Delhi and is planning to open four more soon.