The American giant announced on Tuesday August 23 that it wanted to diversify its production sites. At issue: the financial impact of Chinese health restrictions and a thorny geopolitical context between Washington and Beijing.
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Towards “made in India” iPhones? In a press release, published on Tuesday August 23, Apple announces its intention to diversify its production sites for “mitigating geopolitical risks on supply efficiency by creating production sites outside of China”. India should be chosen to host the production of the future iPhone 14. For everyday life Times of India, the indian state show that he closing its technology gap with China.
If Apple shows its intention to depend less on the Chinese giant, it is first to wipe the losses suffered during the pandemic. Since the epidemic outbreak linked to Covid-19, China has introduced numerous health restrictions. Among other things, the suspension of all economic activities and travel restrictions upon the detection of several cases in the same city. According to the American firm, the impact of these measures on production is estimated at at least eight billion euros.
Beyond industrial considerations, Apple’s choices can also be explained by the growing tensions between the United States and China. By order of Beijing, the American company recently had to ask its subcontractors established in Taiwan to label their products intended for China with the mention “made in China”. The autonomous island, of which Beijing claims sovereignty, asks on the contrary that these devices have the mention “made in Taiwan”.
>> The article to read to understand everything about the tensions between China and Taiwan
Foxconn, Apple’s Taiwan-based supplier, has evaluated the assembly of the iPhone 14 at its factory on the outskirts of the city of Chennai in southern India. The production of the first smartphones could be operational at the end of October or next November.
To counterbalance the productive capacity of China, Apple will however have to rely on several countries. Vietnam and Mexico should also be called upon, in particular for the assembly of iPad tablets, Macbooks and iWatch watches.