New Delhi: Apple has made a significant change in India by giving the Tata Group the job of repairing iPhones and MacBooks for consumers there. Apple is relying more on Tata which currently assembles iPhones at three locations in southern India. Now, the Karnataka facility will also be responsible for repairing Apple devices, replacing the work previously managed by Wistron’s ICT Service Management Solutions.
Apple is making these updates so it can rely less on Chinese manufacturing and improve its supply chain in India. According to Counterpoint Research, iPhone sales in India were up last year, reaching 11 million units and increasing Apple’s share of the market to 7%, up from only 1% in 2020. Apple is now relying on Tata which is a sign of their growing trust in each other and could result in closer cooperation.
With the expansion, Apple service centres in India will manage basic repairs, but more complex problems will be addressed at Tata’s facility in Karnataka. There has been no comment from either company on the change, but sources report that it has already begun. It has been confirmed that Wistron’s ICT will still work with other clients apart from Apple moving ahead.
With India being the world’s second-largest smartphone market, it is now a major part of Apple’s worldwide approach. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has confirmed that the majority of iPhones bought in the US during the June quarter were made in India. Experts think this association with Tata could allow Apple to start selling refurbished iPhones in India, a tactic already used in the U.S.
