Apple likely to launch iPhone 15 in India at the same time as the US and UK

Typically, in the US, Europe, the UK, and other markets, people get access to the latest iPhones as soon as they are globally launched. However, for Indian consumers, there has often been a wait of a month or so to get their hands on the new iPhones.

This year though, things just might be a little different. Apple fans in India may get their hands on the iPhone 15 series at the same time as the rest of the world.

iPhone 15 coming to India sooner than expected
An article in the Economic Times suggests that Apple is planning to unveil the iPhone 15 in India earlier this year. The tech giant is aiming to reduce the gap between the global launch and the Indian launch to “a few days, if not a simultaneous reveal,” as per sources familiar with the matter.

While it’s not confirmed whether Apple will indeed launch the iPhone 15 in India simultaneously with the global launch or with a slight delay, the possibility is certainly exciting.

The report from the Economic Times also indicates that preparations for mass production of the iPhone 15 are well underway.

A Bloomberg report had previously mentioned that production of the iPhone 15 has already begun in Tamil Nadu, India. A Foxconn Technology Group plant in Sriperumbudur was reported to be gearing up for manufacturing the new series of iPhones.

According to sources, the company is working to increase the volume of iPhones produced in India. Additionally, other suppliers in India, such as Pegatron Corp. and a Wistron Corp. factory being acquired by the Tata Group, will also start production of the iPhone 15 in India soon.

Apple to capitalise on India’s festive season
Last year, the Foxconn factory in China began producing the iPhone 14 just 10 days after the global launch, while the locally manufactured iPhones in India took about a month to reach consumers. With preparations for mass production of the iPhone 15 already underway, any potential delay is expected to be minimal.

As per the report, Apple has indicated that the latest devices manufactured in India will initially be made available in the domestic market. This strategy aligns with the anticipation of increased demand during India’s festive season.

Experts have noted that trial production of the iPhone 15 began in China back in June at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou factory. Concurrently, components started arriving at Foxconn’s facilities in India. It’s important to highlight that India’s share of Apple’s global production has significantly increased, reaching 7 per cent, up from less than 1 per cent prior to the introduction of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for smartphones in 2021.

Apple has played a prominent role in promoting mobile phone exports from India and has strongly supported the PLI scheme in the smartphone sector. Its three contracted manufacturers in India – Foxconn Hon Hai, Wistron, and Pegatron – have committed to exporting Rs 61,000 crore in the fiscal year 2024, marking the third year of the PLI scheme for smartphones.

Currently, it appears that Foxconn is the sole contract manufacturer expected to produce the iPhone 15 in India. As for the iPhone 15 Plus, trials have not yet commenced, and it is likely to be manufactured by Pegatron at a later stage, as previously reported by ET earlier this week.