that most of his smartphones come from India

The worldwide technology panorama has taken a spectacular turnaround. And for the first time in history, India has destroyed China as the main smartphones provider to the United States. According to the firm figures Canalysin the second quarter of the year, the phones manufactured in India represented 44% of American imports of these devices, compared to the low 13% of the same period of 2024. China, which until just one year ago dominated with 61% quota, has collapsed up to 25%.

Tariffs make a dent. The tariff climb between the United States and China has forced a total reconfiguration of technological supply chains. The US government imposed in April tariffs up to 145% To Chinese products. However, as of May, both countries They reached an agreementreducing 30% tariffs and with 90 -day moratorium.

The extreme tariff policy of the Trump administration has especially affected companies such as Apple, also pressing the company led by Tim Cook so that Produce iPhone in US territory. This is something that experts consider practically impossible without shooting prices.

Change of strategy. After the unpredictable policy of tariff changes, Apple has been forced to Move your production to India. The Cupertino company began shyly in 2017 by manufacturing the iPhone se In Indian soil, but now plans to assemble all iPhone for the US market in India before the end of 2026.

According to IDC dataApple produced between 40 and 43 million iPhone in India last year, of which some 30 million were exported. To meet US demand, which exceeds 60 million units annually, will need to increase its Indian production to 80-85 million devices.

India has a great challenge ahead. The transition is not being simple. Manufacturing efficiency rates in India are still lower than those of China. In 2023, the Tata factory in Hosur, which produces iPhone housings, had a success rate of just 50%, with half of the components failing Apple’s strict quality controls.

“There is simply no sense of urgency,” confessed An ancient Apple engineer at the Financial Times about operations in India. The expansion planned for 2025-2026 will be the definitive proof of whether this situation has improved.

China’s experience. While the United States seeks to reduce its dependence on China, India You need Chinese engineers and workers To establish the production lines. “You need China’s experience,” explains Navkendar Singh, associate vice president of IDC in India. In addition, the components of greater technological value continue to be manufactured in China, and the most advanced processors continue to occur In TSMC plants In Taiwan. Apple may have solved its tariff problem, but not your problem with China.

And now what. The next step will be to check if other brands such as Samsung and Motorola, which are also moving production to India although on a smaller scale, can follow Apple’s rhythm. Vietnam maintains 30% of exports From smartphones to the US, also surpassing China. For India, the challenge is to demonstrate that it can maintain the necessary quality and efficiency to become the new nerve center of world technological production.

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