Update: MSP verified the news and found that this is fake news. Apple is not manufacturing any of the Pro models in India and selling anywhere on Earth.
Original Story Follows…
Apple recently confirmed that it was making the iPhone 14 in India. The company said it was excited to be manufacturing iPhone 14 in India.” At the time, only the standard iPhone 14 was said to be made in India. Apple’s partners in India did not assemble the Pro iPhones since the iPhone SE was assembled in India in 2017. With Apple working on reducing its reliance on China as a manufacturing hub, more products will reportedly be made in India. According to the latest update, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is one such new introduction to Apple’s supply chain in India.
Apple has not officially confirmed any details about making the 14 Pro Max in India. However, an alleged retail box of the new Pro Max phone being sold in China suggests that Apple is not only making its Pro models in the country but also exporting it to other markets.
The image shared by tipster Abhishek Yadav shows the iPhone 14 Pro Max Chinese retail unit. The text on the back reveals the “Assembled in India” details along with other details about the product. We are yet to spot one of the new iPhone Pro models being assembled locally and available for purchase in India.
Table of Contents
iPhone 14 Pro Max India Assembly Could be a Huge Boost
Regardless, if the leaked image is true, it would be a huge boost for Apple’s supply partners in India. It was previously said that supply chain partners in India were not trained to assemble complex hardware. Couple that with another speculation about the Pro models not having as much demand to be manufactured outside China. However, with Apple showing added interest in India, it looks like the supply chain partners will gear up to launch more premium offerings from the brand. The Pro models have also received some significant upgrades over the standard models this year, which could attract more buyers compared to last year.
After the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro Max would be the second smartphone from the lineup to get assembled locally in India within a few weeks of its launch. Priced at Rs 1,39,900, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is Apple’s most premium smartphone offering in India. The phone gets a new 48MP triple-camera setup, a 6.7-inch ProMotion display with up to 2000 nits of peak brightness and dual cutouts that are camouflaged with Dynamic Island.
The Pro Max, along with the 14 Pro, also gets the new A16 Bionic chip. It continues to support 20W fast charging, wireless charging and 15W MagSafe Charging.
In India, the base model offers 128GB of internal storage. The 256GB storage option is priced at Rs 1,49,900, whereas the 512GB variant is priced at Rs 1,69,900. Those who want the 1TB storage option will have to shell out Rs 1,89,900. This is the highest price tag ever for an iPhone storage option in India.
The 14 Pro Max is also the first Pro iPhone to be made in India. Apple has, however, not confirmed any details about the Pro Max model’s assembly in India at the time of writing this.
There Could be More in Store
It is possible that Apple is also making the iPhone 14 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro in India. However, there is no piece of evidence to support the speculation. Meanwhile, a recent report claimed that Apple is working with its suppliers to ensure that the AirPods and some of the Beats’ audio products are assembled in India. While there is no official word from the company, the Nikkei Asia report claimed that Apple is already in talks with multiple supply chain partners in India.
Currently, Apple AirPods or Beats products are not being made in India. The report claimed that Apple’s partners will start making the audio products as early as next year. The products assembled in India could also be exported to international markets such as Europe. The Mac and iPad lineup currently seem to be exclusive to suppliers in China.
Have you spotted any of the new iPhone Pro models with the “Assembled in India” label? Let us know in the comments below.
View Photos (5)Compare See specifications
