Apple’s plan to shift significant iPhone production from China to India, driven largely by looming US tariffs that could drastically increase device prices, faces a potential complication tied to its future product roadmap.
While India is ramping up manufacturing and achieving quality parity for current iPhone models, reports suggest the highly anticipated and complex iPhone editions planned for the 20th anniversary in 2027 will likely remain tethered to Chinese factories, at least initially.
The core issue, as highlighted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, revolves around the sheer complexity anticipated for the 2027 iPhone lineup, expected to mark two decades since the original iPhone launch. Apple is reportedly planning major innovations, potentially including its first foldable iPhone and a bold new Pro model featuring more glass elements.
Gurman notes these anniversary models are “extraordinarily complex,” requiring entirely “new parts and production techniques.” He expresses skepticism that India’s burgeoning manufacturing ecosystem will be ready to handle such intricate first-generation designs by 2027, stating it’s “far from a certainty” that these specific models could be built outside China that soon.
This assessment aligns with Apple’s historical manufacturing approach and the established capabilities within China. Apple has consistently launched its major new product designs, especially those involving significant engineering hurdles, from its long-standing Chinese manufacturing hubs.
These facilities possess deep expertise, a highly trained ecosystem, and the specific infrastructure needed to tackle the advanced production challenges associated with radically new devices like a foldable iPhone or a glass-centric design. As Gurman points out, Apple has “never produced a major new product design outside China for the first go-around,” reinforcing the idea that the 2027 flagships will follow this pattern.
Expectations are incredibly high for the 2027 iPhone launch, drawing parallels to the transformative iPhone X reveal during the 10th anniversary. Analysts speculate about features like truly all-screen designs with under-display cameras, finally eliminating the Dynamic Island.
These complex 20th-anniversary models, particularly the foldable iPhone, are anticipated to be limited-edition, premium offerings potentially commanding significantly higher price tags, perhaps exceeding $2,000 for the foldable variant. This complexity, coupled with the need for specialized manufacturing, highlights why China will likely handle their initial production run, despite the broader shift towards India for standard iPhone assembly driven by tariff concerns.
