The 2020 version of the iPhone SE is now being manufactured in India, Apple confirmed today. “iPhone SE packs our most powerful chip into our most popular size at our most affordable price and we’re excited to be making it in India for our local customers,” the company said in a statement.
The company used to make the original iPhone SE in India too, but has since taken the device off its production line worldwide. The iPhone SE 2020 was launched in India earlier this year, but the company hadn’t yet been manufacturing it here. The device will be assembled by manufacturer Wistron in its Bengaluru factory.
Apple currently makes the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 in Foxconn’s factory in Chennai, while Wistron was so far manufacturing the iPhone 7 in its Bengaluru plant.
What’s worth noting here is that the iPhone XR and 11 have more or less the same design. The iPhone SE (2020) has the same outer body as the iPhone 8, a phone that Apple has never manufactured in India. The 2020 iPhone SE has a glass body and is aimed at people who want smaller screens and can’t afford more expensive iPhones, like the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and Pro Max.
As reported earlier by Mint, Apple grew 5% year-on-year in India in the quarter ended June this year. Most of this growth was attributed to strong sales of the iPhone SE (2020), which is probably why Apple wants to move its assembly to the country. Apple’s overall market share in India still remains at around 2%.
The company has also been preparing to launch the iPhone 12 globally soon, meaning it needs to free up the Chinese production units for that device. According to reports, the iPhone 12 will have three versions, just like last year’s iPhone 11 series.
Apple and Samsung, the two non-Chinese brands in the market, gained from anti-Chinese sentiments in the country. While Apple grew by 5%, Samsung took the second spot amongst the top five smartphone sellers in India, ahead of Vivo and Oppo.
