31 October 2024

Foxconn, Apple’s manufacturing partner, has begun developing the base model of the iPhone 17 at a plant in Bengaluru, India. According to reports, the iPhone 17 has successfully moved beyond the initial development phase.

Apple appears confident that Indian engineers can produce prototypes with quality comparable to those crafted at its California headquarters. This development marks a significant shift, as Apple diversifies its manufacturing approach by advancing part of the iPhone 17’s development and testing in India for the first time.

Traditionally, Apple’s products are developed in California, with most manufacturing centered in China. However, with a recent focus on decentralizing production, Apple is conducting early-stage manufacturing tests for the iPhone 17 base model in India, refining materials and production methods to facilitate scalable manufacturing.

Testing is currently taking place at a Foxconn facility in Bangalore, specifically for the base model, while the New Product Introduction (NPI) for the iPhone 17 Pro remains in China. The iPhone 17 has already completed an early stage, called proto-1, where thousands of units are produced to assess build quality.

Apple’s team, composed of Indian and international engineers from both Apple and Foxconn, is working together to test production techniques and optimize material usage for the new model.