Apple looks to India for iPads and AirPod charging cases

Apple is reportedly investigating expanding iPad manufacturing to India, as well as AirPod charging cases, following its rapidly growing iPhone production in the country.

As part of its move to reduce its dependence on China as a single source of manufacturing, Apple has increasingly been turning to India for production of the iPhone. Now local publication Benzinga says that the company plans to expand Indian manufacturing into other devices.

Reportedly, Apple wants to build the iPad in India, in part to benefit from the government's initiatives to attract more manufacturing to the country. Apple is also said to be looking to find a local manufacturing partner to make the wireless charging cases for AirPods.

Previously, Apple moved key iPad engineering resources to Vietnam, and is doing it in conjunction with Chinese partner BYD. It's claimed that this was done in part because government restrictions prevented it being done in India, but Apple is attempting to find a new local partner for the iPad.

For the AirPods charging cases, Apple has long been working with Jabil on various manufacturing jobs. It's now said that Apple plans to use Jabil's India division to produce the AirPods cases in India from early 2025.

Testing of production quality is reportedly underway with Jabil's facilities in Western India's Pune region. Apple is also said to be considering using Foxconn for the same production.

Beyond the iPad and wireless charging cases for the AirPod, it's claimed that the Indian government wants Apple to make the Mac and MacBook Pro in the country.

This follows India's briefly proposed plan of boosting local manufacture by restricting laptop imports. That began in August 2023, only to be dropped two months later.