Apple in a difficult position

(Dan Tri) - The number of iPhones shipped from India to the US in April increased by 76% compared to the same period last year. This sudden growth occurred when Apple accelerated its plan to "make iPhones in India".

According to a report from Canalys, the number of iPhones shipped from India to the US in April reached about 3 million devices. Meanwhile, the number of iPhones shipped from China to the US decreased by about 76% compared to the same period last year, down to only 900,000 units.

Apple is accelerating plans to manufacture iPhones in India (Photo: TheVerge).

The April numbers show the drastic measures Apple has taken to adapt to the tariffs Washington imposed on China, according to Le Xuan Chiew, research director at Omdia.

“Apple has been planning for this scenario for years. The company has also invested heavily in its supply chain in India during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said an expert at Omdia.

India is also estimated to have surpassed China in iPhone exports to the US in March. According to Chiew, April shipments were unusually high due to Apple's stockpiling.

“India’s manufacturing capacity is not expected to grow fast enough to meet all of the US demand,” Chiew said.

Omdia estimates US iPhone demand at around 20 million units per quarter, but India is only expected to reach that level by 2026.

Meanwhile, Daniel Newman, CEO and principal analyst at research firm Futurum Group, said shipment numbers reflect final assembly, but do not represent the entire supply chain and manufacturing process.

“In fact, the company has been working hard to move more and more assembly operations from China to India. However, the majority of its component partners are still in China,” Newman said.

Analysts say India’s ability to expand iPhone production capacity could be limited by protectionist measures from Washington and Beijing. Apple is playing a “dangerous game” with President Trump by failing to meet his administration’s tariff targets, Newman said.

Apple's plan to manufacture iPhones in India is in trouble (Photo: PCMag).

President Trump recently threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all iPhone shipments in a social media post, reiterating his desire for iPhones sold in the US to be manufactured and assembled domestically, “not in India or anywhere else.”

Meanwhile, China has also not made it easy for Apple to diversify out of the country. According to reports, Beijing has tried to make it difficult for India to access high-tech machinery and talent from China.

Apple’s plans in India will pose some challenges related to logistics, distribution and navigating a complex supply chain, said Dan Ives, director of research at Wedbush Securities. However, India is still expected to be a “lifeline” for Apple in the current tariff situation.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/apple-roi-vao-the-kho-20250528120513972.htm