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The iPhone 15, launched with a higher resolution OLED display, a higher resolution 48MP camera, the A16 Bionic custom processor designed in-house for the iPhone 14 Pro last year, and the pill-shaped ‘Dynamic Island’ notch that was also introduced in the latter, will be available in India starting 22 September, and is priced onward of \u20b9<\/span>79900. The new ‘Pro’ iPhones start at \u20b9<\/span>1.35 lakh.<\/p>\n Apple also unveiled the first mainstream 3-nanometer (nm) custom processor\u2014A17 Pro\u2014used in its iPhone 15 Pro series.<\/p>\n It also launched two new wearables\u2014Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2, with chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, affirming that the Watch Series 9 is “Apple’s first-ever carbon-neutral product.” Prices of the latter start at \u20b9<\/span>41900.<\/p>\n The move marks the first time that Apple, through multiple contractual manufacturing partners, made its latest generation iPhones in India prior to its global launch event. So far, Apple has heavily depended on China for meeting its manufacturing demand\u2014now, industry stakeholders say that Apple\u2019s move shows an increasing sense of intent from the world\u2019s most valuable company.<\/p>\n On 16 August, Mint reported that Apple, through Taiwanese manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd\u2014known better as Foxconn\u2014commenced assembly of its iPhone 15 lineup in India. However, two senior industry officials told Mint that Apple only assembled its non-Pro iPhone 15 models in the country\u2014the manufacturing of its flagship iPhone 15 Pro series remains away from India.<\/p>\n A senior industry consultant for the technology sector<\/a>, who works with various companies as well as the Centre, said requesting anonymity, \u201cThat Apple has diversified its assembly of the latest generation iPhones to India doesn\u2019t come as any surprise. India as a nation has plenty of assembly capacity, and making its phones here gives it decent leverage to meet its expected demand. While this does show that India\u2019s impact on the global technology supply chain is gradually increasing, a bigger step would have really come through if Apple would have brought the assembling of its more sophisticated \u2018Pro\u2019 iPhones to India.”<\/p>\n A second official added that the move marks “India’s increasing importance in the global manufacturing chain, showcasing that the local market is capable of catering to the most sophisticated technologies.”<\/p>\n Other companies have also affirmed this\u2014on 23 August, Raju Pullan, head of Samsung India’s mobile business, told Mint that Samsung assembled its latest generation foldable smartphones<\/a> in its Noida facility for the very first time.<\/p>\n In May 2017, Apple made its first ever iPhone in India\u2014when it commenced the assembly of a limited batch of its first generation iPhone SE in the country. A year later, Apple also began making its then-already-dated iPhone 6s series in India\u2014the first time that a flagship-grade Apple smartphone was assembled in the country.<\/p>\n