Apple Is Now Making AirPods Components in India

A U.S.-based Apple supplier has begun making components for AirPods in India, marking a significant step in the tech giant's push to expand production in the country, reports Bloomberg.

apple india
According to the news outlet, the Indian unit of Florida-based electronics manufacturer Jabil has begun shipping plastic AirPods enclosures to China and Vietnam, making the earbuds the second Apple product after iPhones to be made in India.

The move is part of Apple's plan to reduce its production reliance on China, where lockdown disruptions and US trade restrictions have made manufacturing more risky.

According to Jabil's website, the company operates a 858,000 square foot (80,000 square meter) facility employing more than 2,500 workers in Pune, western India.

Meanwhile, Apple's China-based suppliers are still waiting for the Indian government's approval to begin manufacturing there, with The Economic Times reporting that 14 Chinese companies have so far been granted only initial clearance.

The rush to gain approval follows news that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is drawing up plans to offer financial incentives to companies that produce wireless earphones and smartwatches locally.

Apple reportedly wants to triple its iPhone production capacity in India within the next two years. According to Bloomberg's sources, shipments of India-made iPhones to Europe and the Middle East are set to reach $2.5 billion by March 2023, almost doubling the $1.3 billion worth of iPhones the country exported in the year through March 2022.

The news outlet last year reported that it would take around eight years to move just 10% of Apple's production capacity out of China, where about 98% of iPhones are still made.

Related Roundup: AirPods 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Top Rated Comments

Minxy Avatar
8 weeks ago
India is the new China. But without the communism.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DFZD Avatar
8 weeks ago

But more corruption, less reliability, lower quality.

Also, most of China's economy is more capitalist than the US. China is communist only in the name of its government.
1. Corruption sure.. but more than China? I doubt.
2. Reliability.. I think you should use an iPhone 14th generation, its most likely built in India, and considering that internal components anyway come from China, it should not be an issue.
3. That's same as 2, but as I said use the 14 series and trust Apple and its partners to ensure similar quality output as from elsewhere.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ? Avatar
8 weeks ago
In September, I hope my new iPhone 15 Pro Max comes straight from India ??.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DFZD Avatar
8 weeks ago
Well we in India are now getting much better prices due to reduced taxation thanks to local manufacturing credits. I hope more companies move their manufacturing to India. China may give better pricing to build but its not a long term ally that the West needs.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T Coma Avatar
8 weeks ago

But more corruption, less reliability, lower quality.

Also, most of China's economy is more capitalist than the US. China is communist only in the name of its government.
I can say — with actually having worked in business in China, mind you — that “privately” owned businesses are so deeply intertwined with or flat-out owned by local and state gov’t (with its requisite corruption) that their version of capitalism is a much different animal than the one the Americans are accustomed to.

I have no experience with business in India though, so I must rely on the reports of those who have experience in that arena. Any diversification that lessens reliance on China is certainly a step in the right direction, regardless.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
d5aqoëp Avatar
8 weeks ago

What "better prices"? Nothing has become cheaper and everything has become more expensive since "local manufacturing".
Allow me to discredit you royally

Take example of iPhone 14 Plus.

This whole month of Jan 2023, it is available on Flipkart for ₹75,000 including taxes. Source ('https://dl.flipkart.com/s/829WgquuuN'). Which comes to $920. This is probably cheapest in the world.
Now same model sells for $899 WITHOUT TAXES in the US.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
apple park at night 1

Apple 'Tracking Employee Attendance' in Crackdown on Remote Working

Thursday March 23, 2023 3:41 am PDT by
Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer. Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

Thursday March 23, 2023 6:42 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...
dynamic island

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

Friday March 24, 2023 12:27 am PDT by
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...
maxresdefault

Nothing Launches $149 Ear (2) Wireless Earbuds to Compete With AirPods Pro 2

Wednesday March 22, 2023 9:48 am PDT by
Nothing today announced the launch of its second-generation wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2), which offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro 2 at a lower price point. We went hands-on with the Ear (2) earbuds to see whether they're a viable alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 for those who want to save some cash. The Ear (2) earbuds are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1),...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
TMobile Sprint

Apple Stops Allowing Sprint iPhone Activations, Removes Sprint References From Online Store

Thursday March 23, 2023 12:06 pm PDT by
Apple is no longer allowing customers who purchase an iPhone, cellular iPad, or Apple Watch to activate a device with now-defunct mobile carrier Sprint. Apple has also removed remaining references to Sprint from its online store. When checking out with a new purchase, Sprint is no longer an option for connectivity, a change that Apple appears to have implemented today. Prior to now, Sprint...
airpodsd 3 purple 4

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:43 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...