iPhone 16 Pro likely be assembled in India, may cost less than predecessor

iPhone 16 series launch is just a few weeks away, increasing curiosity among fans and iPhone buyers. With the launch timeline nearing, a new report has been circulating about the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max which may result in a significant shift in iPhone production and price. Reportedly, Apple has plans to start the production of the upcoming Pro models in India, making them the first premium iPhone models to be produced outside of China. Additionally, this big move may also result in a reduced production cost for the iPhone 16 Pro models, know what’s coming ahead of launch.
Bloomberg reported that Foxconn, the Taiwan-based manufacturing company which handles iPhone production for Apple will reportedly expand its manufacturing base to India to reduce the dependence on China. It was highlighted that the company is expanding its manufacturing operations and that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are to be developed in India. The assembly may take place in Tamil Nadu and Foxconn has reportedly hired thousands of workers for training.
The report also claims that Apple has partnered with Pegatron and Tata Group for the smooth assembly of smartphones. As of now, it is reported that the workers in India are being trained for the production process to meet Apple standards. Therefore, the official assembly will begin after the official launch announcement of iPhone 16 which is expected to be on September 10.
Since the manufacturing of the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max may take place in India, the price of these smartphones is also expected to be reduced. However, the price may only reflect the product cost, whereas the retail price is expected to remain the same due to taxes and component costs.
Earlier, Apple had to bear hefty prices on import duties, making the smartphone costlier than any other region. Therefore, by developing these smartphones, locally, Apple is expected to save 10% of the cost in comparison to the previous year.
Furthermore, the India-made iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will likely be exported to several regions such as Europe, West Asia, and the United States. However, note that Apple is yet to confirm these claims. Therefore, we must wait for the official launch of the iPhone 16 to know how Apple has planned to market the new generation of iPhones.