Apple Starts Selling Assembled in India iPhone 15 Models on Launch Day for First Time

iPhone 15 series including iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max hit the stores on Friday (September 22) in India and other countries. For the first time, the Cupertino-based company made the India-built iPhone 15 models available in the country and other parts of the world on the global sales debut day. Apple previously shipped made-in-India iPhone units later than the initial launch date. The new models could have been manufactured at Apple assembler Foxconn's plant in Chennai. The latest iPhone lineup was introduced on September 12 during the "Wonderlust" event and they went on pre-order last Friday (September 15).

Apple started shipping the iPhone 15 series earlier today, and devices assembled in India are available to customers in the country on the first day of sale simultaneously with the China-made handsets. Multiple customers including celebrities like R Madhavan took to X to share a picture of their India-made iPhone 15 model. The units were said to be manufactured in Apple assembler Foxconn's Chennai factory.

Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said this is a milestone for the country. "Indians now accessing the latest products without waiting. We expect the iPhone 15 to be exported from India to the world soon. Congratulations, Team Apple", he said on X.

In previous years, Apple shipped iPhone models manufactured in India later than the initial launch date. In 2022, the iPhone 14 models went on sale within 10 days of the global launch. The latest move by Apple is considered as a step towards diversifying the manufacturing capacity in India in light of the geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.

Apple is looking to turn India into a global hub for manufacturing its handsets. The company is now reportedly producing 7 percent of its iPhone models in the country. Apple's India retail stores — Apple BKC store in Mumbai and the Apple Saket store in Delhi — opened doors for customers in April this year.

Apple is depending on Indian factories for the regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models. A recent report claimed that Apple will produce the iPhone 15 Plus locally at Foxconn's plant in Chennai in the upcoming quarter. Foxconn's Chennai factory employs 40,000 people. The iPhone assembling company is also investing $600 million (roughly Rs. 4,975 crore) for two projects in Karnataka to make casing components for iPhones and chip-making equipment. Other Apple suppliers like Pegatron and Wistron are also expected to soon assemble the iPhone 15.

Apple launched the iPhone 15 series during its 'Wonderlust' event last week. The latest handsets feature a USB Type-C port and have a titanium build. They all come with Dynamic Island and run iOS 17 out-of-the-box. The iPhone 15 models run on the A16 Bionic chip, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro are equipped with the A17 Pro chip.

Price of the iPhone 15 in India starts at Rs. 79,900 for the base model, while the iPhone 15 Plus starts at Rs. 89,900. The iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, has a starting price of Rs. 1,39,900, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max price begins at Rs. 1,59,900. They are currently up for sale through Apple's online store, Apple BKC, Saket, e-commerce websites, and official retail outlets.