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Mar 11
Apple's India iPhone output reaches 25% as production shifts from China

Apple significantly expanded iPhone production in India in 2025, increasing output by about 53% as the company seeks to reduce its dependence on China and mitigate tariff risks. Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, said Apple assembled about 55 million iPhones in India last year, up from 36 million in 2024. Apple produces about 220 million to 230 million iPhones annually worldwide, with India now accounting for roughly a quarter of total output.

Samsung has reportedly secured an order to supply 12GB LPDDR5X DRAM for Apple's first foldable iPhone, negotiating a sharply higher price than in previous memory contracts.
Apple has reportedly finalized the design of its first foldable iPhone, tentatively called the iPhone Fold, choosing a book-style form factor and targeting a fall 2026 launch. As market expectations grow, the company is said to have increased its initial production target by about 20%, a move expected to benefit its primary manufacturing partner, Foxconn.
The Taiwanese smartphone market is set to welcome a new contender as Honor plans to open stores and begin selling phones and mobile accessories in 2026. After its flagship model, the Honor Magic8 Pro, received National Communications Commission (NCC) certification, it is expected to hit shelves in Taiwan as early as the second quarter of 2026.
With the ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East creating global uncertainties, Qisda chairman Peter Chen warned that prolonged warfare could trigger inflation and disrupt consumer electronics sales. He pointed out that rising memory prices would particularly impact demand for mid-tier to low-end smartphones more than high-end models.
Apple's first foldable iPhone could introduce iPad-style layouts and side-by-side apps to iOS, according to a Bloomberg report, marking a shift toward larger-screen multitasking as the company prepares its long-rumored entry into the foldable smartphone market.
Industrial communication and networking equipment provider Moxa has identified the Middle East as a key fast-growing market over the next three to five years, highlighting the region at its Lunar New Year media event. General Manager Eddy Lin emphasized that geopolitical conflicts remain a concern, but ongoing semiconductor capacity expansion, supply chain diversification, edge AI upgrades, data center buildout, and critical system monitoring will drive double-digit growth for Moxa in 2025.

The global smartphone market is shifting from volume expansion to value-driven competition. Although rising costs have slowed shipment growth, optical specifications remain the main arena where flagship models differentiate themselves.

Bipartisan US lawmakers are pressing the Trump administration to extend Huawei sanctions to its US research subsidiary, Futurewei Technologies, warning that the entity may allow the Chinese telecom group to maintain research activities in the US despite existing restrictions.

Asia's largest professional smart city exhibition, the 2026 Smart City Summit & Expo, is set to open on March 17, with Taiwan's three major telecom operators highlighting AI-driven solutions, network resilience, and sustainability as central themes of their exhibits.
The launch of the US$599 MacBook Neo has sparked a global debate over how Apple managed to hit such a breakthrough price point without abandoning its premium identity. While industry analysts initially expected a return to the plastic "MacBook" shells of the 2000s, Apple has instead doubled down on its signature metal. The company is deploying a secretive new manufacturing process that experts believe could soon redefine the production of the iPhone and Apple Watch.
MWC 2026 placed comprehensive AI integration front and center. The show covered everything from smartphones and wearables to telecom networks and cloud infrastructure. Industry observers noted that AI is reshaping the entire sector's development trajectory.