Tata Electronics, a division of the Tata Group, is gearing up for a significant expansion of its iPhone-casing unit located in Tamil Nadu’s Hosur. This ambitious plan is strategically devised to align with Apple’s substantial export targets from India.
Situated on a sprawling 500-acre campus, the current plant in Hosur provides employment to over 15,000 individuals. Tata Electronics envisions doubling the size of this facility, with the expansion expected to span 12-18 months. The undertaking anticipates generating an additional 25,000-28,000 jobs in the state, as reported by The Economic Times.
According to ET’s report, the expanded facility might exclusively focus on manufacturing Apple iPhone components. However, there’s also speculation that Tata could diversify its production to include components for other high-end smartphones from leading phone brands in India.
Tata currently stands as the sole Indian company engaged in the manufacturing of iPhone components, specifically enclosures. Recently, Wistron’s board approved the sale of Wistron InfoComm Manufacturing (India) Private Ltd. to Tata for $125 million (Rs 1,040 cr).
This acquisition follows year-long negotiations between Tata and Wistron. Notably, Wistron is one of three Taiwanese iPhone manufacturers in India, alongside Foxconn and Pegatron.
In addition to its manufacturing endeavors, Tata has ambitious plans to open 100 Apple stores across India, contributing to the broader strategy of expanding iPhone sales in the country.
The allure of owning an Apple iPhone in India is significant, reflected in its higher aspirational value compared to other premium smartphones. Even premium foldable handsets from Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, etc. fail to match the ownership experience of high-end premium iPhones such as the new Titanium-build iPhone 15 Pro series handsets.
Recent e-commerce data from platforms like Amazon and Flipkart underscores the prevailing trend of a growing craze for Apple handsets in the country.
On a global scale too, Apple maintains dominance in the premium phone segment, with iPhones consistently ranking as the top-selling premium smartphones worldwide.
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