Foxconn Begins iPhone 17 Trial Production in China and India

As the launch of Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 series approaches, Foxconn, Apple's largest manufacturing partner, has fully ramped up trial production and mass production preparations. Foxconn's Zhengzhou facility in China is operating at full capacity, while components for the new iPhone have already been exported from China to India. This indicates that India is also commencing trial production for the iPhone 17 series in parallel.

Industry analysts expect strong sales for the iPhone 17 lineup in the second half of the year. Foxconn's synchronized production efforts across China and India position the company to benefit from anticipated demand surges. Alongside booming orders for NVIDIA's GB200 and GB300 chips, Foxconn is poised to be the biggest beneficiary in both consumer electronics and AI server markets.

Reports indicate that key components for the iPhone 17—such as display assemblies, protective glass, mechanical casings, and rear camera modules—have been shipped to India since June. About 10% of Foxconn's total component exports during this period were for the iPhone 17, with the majority still comprising parts for the iPhone 14 and 16 series. Apple expects higher sales of these models during India's upcoming festive season.

Trial production for the iPhone 17 is set to start in July, with mass production scheduled for August. Apple plans to have production in both China and India begin simultaneously, with the official iPhone 17 launch expected in September.

Apple is increasingly positioning India as a strategic export hub, particularly for shipments to the U.S. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, Apple's iPhone exports from India to the U.S. surged by 219% year-on-year in March. India is narrowing its production gap with China—whereas the iPhone 14 production in India lagged six weeks behind China in 2014, the iPhone 15 was produced almost concurrently. India joined Apple's New Product Introduction (NPI) process last year, ending China's exclusivity in new product launches.

Compared to other Southeast Asian countries, India is gaining favorable trade advantages, especially under the U.S.'s reciprocal tariff policies. Bloomberg reports that the U.S. and India are negotiating a temporary trade deal that could lower tariff rates below 20%, enhancing India's competitive edge in the region.

Apple continues to push for expanded manufacturing capacity in India. Market research firm Counterpoint Research forecasts that by 2025, iPhones made in India will account for 25% to 30% of global iPhone shipments—up from 18% in 2024.

Additionally, India's iPhone manufacturing is moving beyond assembly. Foxconn is reportedly setting up its first production line in India for manufacturing iPhone metal mid-frames, marking a significant step in establishing local production of core components.