HYDERABAD: Taiwanese electronics contract manufacturing giant Foxconn (formally known as Hon Hai Technology Group) is set to commence commercial production of Apple's AirPods from April this year at its upcoming facility at Kongara Kalan in Telangana, making it the second 'Made in India' Apple product after iPhones.
"It's all done...the first phase of the facility. They are all set for commercial production. We are waiting for their Chairman Young Liu to come here for the formal ribbon cutting," said a source in Telangana govt. Sources said the Taiwanese giant has already invested nearly 2,500 crore at Kongara Kalan, where they plan to create over 13,000 direct and indirect jobs in the first phase. A Telangana govt team led by Surya Kant Sharma, Director - Electronics, ESDM, Semiconductors & Energy Storage, ITE&C Department, Telangana, is currently in Taiwan to firm up a mutually convenient date for the inaugural of the massive facility, sources added.
Reports indicated that the facility has already commenced manufacturing small lots of some basic models of AirPods and will first start shipping these to markets such as the US and Europe before manufacturing the TWS (true wireless stereo) earphones for the domestic market as well. Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT), the Foxconn arm that is setting up the Apple accessories plant on the outskirts of Hyderabad, has already committed investment of over 4,760 crore (based on Tuesday's currency rates) in the first phase of the massive facility that will create around 25,000 jobs once fully functional.
The move comes even as tech giant Apple is looking at cutting its dependence on China amid mounting geopolitical tensions after the new US regime hiked tariffs on imports of hearable devices from China.