Apple may be in talks to manufacture its AirPods and Beats headphones in India, according to The Economic Times . According to the report, which was picked up by The Wall Street Journal , Foxconn has already conducted a preliminary study of sites in India where it could build such devices, should the company move forward with this plan. It’s unclear whether Apple would be the primary manufacturer of these products or simply assemble them at the plant in question.
According to a Nikkei Asia story published on Wednesday, Apple has requested suppliers to start producing some of its AirPods and Beats headphones in India as early as next year.
The negotiations represent the business’ most recent effort to reduce the possibility of supply chain disruptions in China as a result of Covid lockdowns and rising U.S.-China trade tensions. According to reports, Apple was in talks in August to move the production of some of its HomePods, MacBooks, and Apple Watches to Vietnam. In September, Apple revealed that some of its newest iPhone 14 models are being assembled in India.
Apple continues to produce the bulk of its iPhones primarily in China.
According to the article, Foxconn, one of Apple’s manufacturing partners, will build Beats headphones in India and want to produce AirPods there in the future. AirPods will also be produced in India by Luxshare Precision Industry, which already produces Apple’s AirPods in China and Vietnam.
India is the second-largest smartphone market in the world, and Apple has been attempting to boost sales there. According to the article, the corporation is now considering India more as a strategic production base, even if its decision to move operations there originally meant to boost sales.
According to Nikkei Asia, India would invest more than $30 billion in its electronics supply chain in an effort to entice new investment.
A call for comment from an Apple spokesperson elicited no immediate response.
