Foxconn to Make AirPods for the First Time, New Factory Planned in India

Apple supplier Foxconn has won an order to make AirPods for the first time, reports Reuters.

airpods 3 purple
The Taiwanese contract manufacturer plans to build a factory in India to produce the earphones, underlining efforts by the key Apple supplier to diversify production away from China.

According to the report's sources, Foxconn will invest more than $200 million in a new AirPods assembly plant in the southern Indian state of Telangana.

Construction of the facility is expected to start in the second half of this year and begin production by the end of 2024 at the earliest.

Foxconn officials are said to have debated internally for months about whether to assemble AirPods, due to the relatively low profit margins, but they ultimately decided to go ahead with the deal to "reinforce engagement" with Apple.

The decision to set up production in India was requested by Apple, according to one of the report's sources. Besides the Telangana facility, Foxconn reportedly plans to ramp up its investment in India with a view to manufacturing smartphones, EVs, and semiconductors.

It's not clear which model(s) of AirPods are included in Foxconn's order, but there's a high chance they will include a USB-C connector instead of a Lightning connector, as Apple is rumored to be planning to introduce iPhone 15 models with a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port in 2023.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Tag: India
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Top Rated Comments

StellarVixen Avatar
37 months ago

Isn’t Foxconn China based? My 2003 iMac has Foxconn stuff in it and I think it was made in China but could be wrong of course lol
It is Taiwanese company that has factories in PRC, but not only there.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
37 months ago
Great to see another Apple product manufactured in India. Slowly expanding manufacturing outside China!!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
monster620ie Avatar
37 months ago
Build in USA!!!!! Build in USA!!!! Stop outsourcing jobs!!!!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
37 months ago
Wow, It seems India is getting a lot of Apple Factories going from the recent Apple news from India.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ian87w Avatar
37 months ago

Isn’t Foxconn China based? My 2003 iMac has Foxconn stuff in it and I think it was made in China but could be wrong of course lol
Foxconn is a Taiwanese company. They have factories in many countries, many in China.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
37 months ago

These are not Apple factories.
They are owned, managed and run by Foxconn.

They manufacture items for Apple and others.
Oh yeah. I know. I referred it as Apple Factories because there are a bunch of Apple contract manufacturers investing in India. (Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron). I should have worded it properly :).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)