Apple partners with Tata for iPhone, MacBook repairs in India
What's the story
Apple has partnered with the Tata Group to manage repairs of iPhones and MacBooks in India, according to Reuters. The move highlights the growing importance of the Indian conglomerate in Apple's supply chain. The partnership comes as part of Apple's strategy to diversify its manufacturing base and reduce reliance on China. Tata already assembles iPhones at three facilities in South India, one of which also manufactures some components for the devices.
Transition details
Tata will replace Wistron's ICT
Tata is taking over the mandate from an Indian unit of Taiwan's Wistron, ICT Service Management Solutions, as part of this partnership. The company will conduct after-sales repairs from its Karnataka iPhone assembly campus. This transition comes amid a surge in iPhone sales in India, which is now the world's second-largest smartphone market. Counterpoint Research estimates that around 11 million iPhones were sold in India last year, giving Apple a 7% market share compared to only 1% in 2020.
Trust factor
Apple's growing trust in Tata
The latest contract award shows Apple's growing trust in Tata as it aims to expand its business with the world's most valuable smartphone company. Prabhu Ram, a VP at Cybermedia Research, said, "Tata's deepening partnership with Apple could also pave the groundwork for Apple directly selling refurbished devices in India." This is similar to what the tech giant currently does in the US.
Service expansion
How will this change affect customers?
While Apple's official service centers in India can handle basic repairs, they will now send phones and laptops to Tata's facility for more complex issues. Wistron's ICT will continue to serve other clients except Apple. The change is part of a broader strategy by Apple to strengthen its service network in India amid rising iPhone sales and market share.
Information
India becoming a preferred hub for iPhone exports
As US President Donald Trump's tariff threats against China loom, India is gaining traction as a preferred hub for iPhone exports. Apple CEO Tim Cook has stated that a majority of iPhones sold in the US during the June quarter will be manufactured in India.