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India-Made iPhones to Strengthen Apple’s Market Position

Kuo also anticipated that Apple would begin introductory manufacturing for the regular iPhone 17, which is scheduled to appear in the second half of 2025, in India in the second half of next year…reports Asian Lite News

The India-made iPhone shipments will grow to 20 to 25 per cent globally by 2024, depending on market conditions, a leading analyst has said.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities, the made-in-India iPhones are projected to account for 12 to 14 per cent of Apple’s global iPhone shipments this year.

In a Medium blogpost, he further predicted that the importance of the South Asian market to Apple will notably rise in the coming year.

Taiwanese giant Foxconn currently owns between 75 per cent and 80 per cent of India’s iPhone production capacity, said Kuo.

This dynamic is expected to shift as Tata Group begins manufacturing iPhones at the Wistron production line it acquired in India.

“By making India’s Tata an iPhone assembler (already acquired Wistron’s iPhone production lines in India), Apple can strengthen its relationship with the Indian government. This move will benefit future sales of iPhones and other products in India and is critical to Apple’s growth over the next decade,” he said.

Kuo also anticipated that Apple would begin introductory manufacturing for the regular iPhone 17, which is scheduled to appear in the second half of 2025, in India in the second half of next year.

According to him, this will be Apple’s first foray into developing a new iPhone model outside of China.

The standard iPhone is chosen for its lower-difficulty design development to reduce design risk, the analyst said.

Moreover, Kuo estimated that Foxconn’s production capacity in Zhengzhou and Taiyuan, China, will fall by 35 per cent to 45 per cent and 75 per cent to 85 per cent, respectively, by 2024.

“In addition to expanding production in India, Luxshare’s rapid increase in iPhone order allocation and improvements in production line automation are also the main reasons for the production scale reduction,” he wrote.

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India News Tech Lite Technology

CERT-In to probe iPhone hacking attempt charges

Ransomware attack.

MP John Brittas of the CPI(M), wrote to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology chairperson Prataprao Jadhav, urging him to call an urgent meeting of the committee to investigate the threat notification messages…reports Asian Lite News

Central online safety agency CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) will probe the opposition’s claim of iPhone “hacking” attempts, IT Ministry sources have said.

CERT-In is the national agency responsible for responding to cybersecurity threats like hacking and phishing.

Several opposition leaders, including Mahua Moitra, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Raghav Chadha, Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Khera, and Sitaram Yechury, claimed on Tuesday that they had received Apple alerts warning them of state-sponsored attackers trying to hack their iPhones. Apple, in response to the claims, said it “does not attribute the notifications to any specific state-sponsored attacker” while adding that “it is possible that some Apple threat notifications may be false alarms”.

Opposition MPs and leaders, including Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, demanded that the government answer questions about the alert issue, and called for a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee for IT to investigate.

MP John Brittas of the CPI(M), wrote to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology chairperson Prataprao Jadhav, urging him to call an urgent meeting of the committee to investigate the threat notification messages.

BJP MP on the parliamentary IT committee, Nishikant Dubey, said the committee cannot take up the matter. According to Mr Dubey, under Lok Sabha rules, the central government has jurisdiction over the investigation into Apple’s warning to its subscribers, while the state police can examine their iPhones to further verify the allegations.

The government rejected the opposition leaders’ allegations of spying. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Apple had issued similar alerts in 150 countries, that they were based on incomplete and often inaccurate data, and that some could be “false alarms”.

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Business

Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ Event to Showcase iPhone 15 Series

Both premium models will have “at least” USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will have USB 2.0 ports…reports Asian Lite News

Apple is holding its next big event, dubbed “Wonderlust”, on September 12 at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, to launch the iPhone 15 series, iOS 17, Apple Watch, and other products.

At the event, it is expected that the tech giant, for the first time, will launch the iPhone 15 lineup with a USB-C port instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector, reports The Verge.

Along with this, Apple might announce the release dates for iOS 17 and watchOS 10 during its upcoming event.

Although reports claim that the USB-C port will be available on all iPhone 15 models, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that only the Pro and Pro Max will benefit from faster data transfer rates. 

Both premium models will have “at least” USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will have USB 2.0 ports.

Some Apple iPhone 15 models are likely to support charging up to 35W which will offer faster charging speeds.

In addition, supply chain analyst Ross Young predicted last year that all models of the iPhone 15 would include the Dynamic Island. The iPhone 15 lineup is also expected to get an ultra-wideband chip as well.

Moreover, the report said that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are rumoured to feature a titanium frame, slimmer bezels, and a more easily repairable aluminium chassis, similar to the iPhone 14.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max might also have a faster A17 chip built using the 3nm process, whereas the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will most likely include the A16 chip included in the iPhone 14 Pro.

In addition to the iPhone 15, Apple is expected to unveil its latest smartwatch lineup — with few major changes so far.

The premium Apple Watch Ultra will reportedly retain its 49mm size and come with a new darker titanium case. But as per rumours the Watch Series 9 will come with an updated S9 processor, the report mentioned.

The iPhone 15 isn’t the only Apple device that’s expected to get the USB-C treatment. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans on releasing a pair of AirPods Pro with USB-C during the event.

Kuo predicted in 2022 that Apple would release AirPods with a USB-C charging case this year. Aside from the new case, it’s unclear whether Apple will make any significant changes to the AirPods themselves.

There are a few other things Apple is rumoured to be working on that will most likely not be revealed at the iPhone 15 event. This includes new Macs and iPads, which Apple usually announces in October, the report stated.

ALSO READ-Apple’s iPhone Shipments in India Surge by 68% in H1 2023

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Business Tech Lite Technology

Apple’s iPhone Shipments in India Surge by 68% in H1 2023

Other Apple suppliers in India like Pegatron and Wistron (being acquired by the Tata Group) will also assemble iPhone 15 as soon as possible, according to sources…reports Asian Lite News

Driven by domestic manufacturing, Apple iPhones are set to garner 7 per cent market share in the Android-dominated smartphone market in India this year, latest data showed on Saturday, as the tech giant gears up to globally launch its flagship devices next week.

Apple iPhone shipments grew 68 per cent (year-on-year) in the first half of this year in the country.

In the first half, Apple secured a 6 per cent market share in the Indian smartphone market and dominated the super-premium smartphone segment (priced between Rs 50,000-Rs 100,000) with a robust 63 per cent market share, according to data from market intelligence firm CyberMedia Research (CMR).

CMR estimates the iPhone 15 shipments in the launch quarter to hover around 65 per cent, driven by an increased ‘Make in India’ initiatives. 

iPhone domestic manufacturing in the country has significantly increased over the past four year.

In another push to its India manufacturing dream, Apple maker Foxconn started the local production of the next-generation of iPhone 15 at its Sriperumbudur facility near Tamil Nadu faster than ever.

A small set of ‘Make in India’ iPhone 15 units is likely to be exported to other countries within a short span of time from its global launch.

Other Apple suppliers in India like Pegatron and Wistron (being acquired by the Tata Group) will also assemble iPhone 15 as soon as possible, according to sources.

CMR anticipates a 25 per cent YoY growth in iPhone shipments with the iPhone 15 series. 

iPhone 14 series shipments in launch quarter were around 58 per cent and iPhone 13 series were around 23 per cent in the country. 

“Apple has enjoyed a positive growth trajectory in India in recent years, with sales of its older generation iPhones steering growth. The upcoming iPhone 15 series is poised to maintain this growth momentum,” Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR, told IANS. 

However, its success will hinge on Apple’s ability to effectively manage any potential production challenges and shipment delays with the 15 line-up, and especially the ‘Pro’ models, he added.

The market momentum for iPhones in India have been driven by the sales of the previous generaIon iPhones.

Apple is hosting its next big global product launch — showcasing the fresh lineup of iPhone 15 series — on September 12. The tech giant is also expected to announce new Apple Watches at the event.

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-Top News China USA

China Bans iPhone Use For Govt Officials: Report

Beijing has instructed some government staff to stop using iPhones through chat groups or meetings

Amid the escalating rivalry between the US and China, the Xi Jinping government has reportedly barred officials from using Apple iPhones at work, the media reported on Wednesday.

Beijing has instructed some government staff to stop using iPhones through chat groups or meetings, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Apple relies heavily on Greater China region for both manufacturing and sales of its iPhones and has a major chunk of its product manufacturing in the country amid its future plans to make India the next big manufacturing hub.

“Restrictions on foreign devices are the latest step in Beijing’s campaign to reduce reliance on overseas technology and could hurt Apple’s success in the country,” the report noted.

China apparently ordered officials at central government agencies not to use Apple’s iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work or bring them into the office.

The move is a blow to Apple’s public perception in China which is its second-biggest market after the US. 

Apple didn’t immediately comment on the development.

According to the company’s latest quarterly results, the Greater China region — Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan — contributed to nearly 19 per cent of the revenue in the June quarter.

According to the the IDC, 65.7 million smartphones shipped in China in the second quarter (Q2) this year, a narrower decline of 2.1 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

In the first half of the year, the Chinese market saw 130.9 million shipments, down 7.3 per cent year-on-year (YoY).

Huawei and Apple were the only vendors with a positive YoY growth in the Top 5 ranking, as the price discounts of Apple’s iPhone 14 series successfully stimulated the demand in the country.

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Tech Lite Technology

Apple’s new iOS 16.6 update fixes iPhone security flaws

Apple iOS 15.

According to Apple, two of the vulnerabilities were most likely actively exploited….reports Asian Lite News

Apple has released the iOS 16.6 update that comes with over a dozen significant security improvements, two of which are currently being exploited by hackers.

The tech giant has shared details of over a dozen security flaws on its support page, ranging from categories including kernel, Find My, WebKit, and Apple Neural Engine.

According to Apple, two of the vulnerabilities were most likely actively exploited.

The exploited WebKit issue was first patched with Rapid Security Response iOS 16.5.1 (c). And the kernel flaw, which was most likely aggressively exploited, was probably fixed first with iOS 15.7.1.

However, Apple claims that iOS 16.6 addresses these vulnerabilities as well.

To manually install iOS 16.6, tap on Settings then General > Software Update. Then, tap Download and Install to kick off the update and keep your iPhone safe.

Meanwhile, Apple has released the iOS 17 public beta, which includes a new StandBy mode, personal voice feature and more. influencer Marques Brownlee revealed the personal voice feature on Twitter.

According to Brownlee, the feature is available under Accessibility> Speech> Personal Voice. With this feature, iPhone can create a voice that sounds like the user in just 15 minutes. TechCrunch reported that the iOS 17 public beta includes improvements to Messages, new StandBy mode, and improvements to Maps, widgets and dictation.

Similar to Mail, users can now filter the search using different criteria in Messages.

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Tech Lite

Apple fixes 2 zero-day bugs exploited to hack iPhones

Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges on targeted devices by using a maliciously crafted app…reports Asian Lite News

Apple has fixed two new zero-day security vulnerabilities exploited in attacks to compromise iPhones, Macs, and iPads, in its latest software update.

According to BleepingComputer, the two zero-day security vulnerabilities were addressed in iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, macOS Ventura 13.3.1, and Safari 16.4.1 with improved input validation and memory management.

The first security flaw is an IOSurfaceAccelerator that could lead to the corruption of data, a crash, or code execution.

Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges on targeted devices by using a maliciously crafted app, said the report.

The second zero-day vulnerability is a WebKit that allows data corruption or arbitrary code execution when freed memory is reused.

An attacker can exploit this flaw by tricking targets into loading malicious web pages under their control, resulting in code execution on compromised systems.

Meanwhile, researchers have tracked 55 zero-day vulnerabilities that were exploited in 2022 by the hackers, mostly targeting Microsoft, Google and Apple products.

According to information security company Mandiant report, products of Microsoft, Google and Apple made up the majority of zero-day vulnerabilities in 2022, consistent with the previous years, and the most exploited product types were operating systems (19), followed by browsers (11), security, IT, and network management products (10), and mobile OS (six).

Apple stops signing iOS 16.3.1

After the release of iOS 16.4.1, Apple has stopped signing iOS 16.3.1 to prevent iPhone users from downgrading to that software version.

On February 13, iOS 16.3.1 was released as a minor update containing bug fixes, security improvements, and enhanced Crash Detection optimisations for iPhone 14 models, reports MacRumors.

To prevent consumers from downgrading to an outdated software version, Apple frequently removes signing older iOS releases over time.

The company does this to prevent users from installing unsafe versions of iOS while also ensuring that as many people as possible are using the most up-to-date APIs and features.

iOS 16.4 is expected to be unsigned later this month, so iPhone customers who want to downgrade to that version have a limited amount of time, said the report.

Meanwhile, Apple has now rolled out iOS 16.5 beta 1 to registered developers. The company also rolled out iPadOS 16.5 beta 1 to registered developers for beta testing.

“Update your apps to use new features, and test your apps against API changes,” Apple said in a release.

As the update rolls out, users will be able to install it by going to the Settings app, choosing General, and then choosing Software Update.

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Health Tech Lite World News

Now, control iPhone with your brain

Some iPhone users report Face ID not working post iOS 15.7.1 upgrade

Synchron has six patients using the Synchron Switch device and Gorham is the first ever to use it with an Apple product…reports Asian Lite News

Synchron, a New York-based company, has created a device called “Synchron Switch” that allows patients to control an iPhone or iPad using their brain.

According to Semafor, an array of sensors known as a “Stentrode” is inserted into the top of the brain via a blood vessel. It is controlled wirelessly using the Synchron Switch from the patient’s chest.

Rodney Gorham, a retired software salesman in Melbourne,has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a nervous system disease that severely impacts physical functioning.

Synchron has six patients using the Synchron Switch device and Gorham is the first ever to use it with an Apple product, according to a report.

“We’re excited about iOS and Apple products because they’re so ubiquitous, and this would be the first brain switch input into the device,” Tom Oxley, Synchron’s co-founder and CEO was quoted as saying.

With the Synchron Switch, Gorham’s thoughts are turned into action on the iPad.

The iPad registers Gorham’s foot tapping as a finger tap when he thinks about tapping his foot.

Using his Synchron Switch, Gorham is able to send single-word text messages from his iPad, reports Semafor.

Synchron is also the first company to receive approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to conduct clinical trials for a computer-brain implant.

The company which has raised $70 million in venture and other funding, foots the cost of implanting and maintaining the device, it added.

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Business

iPhones becoming new norm in India

Basically, the strong aspirational and brand value, along with a wider iPhone portfolio, is now driving Apple sales in India….writes NISHANT ARORA

India has finally arrived on the world map for Apple. With its revenues surpassing Rs 33,300 crore in the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2022, millions of aspirational fans in the country now want to join its ecosystem.

According to data from business intelligence platform Tofler, Apple India logged a net profit of Rs 1,263 crore, a growth of 3 per cent (year-on-year) in the fiscal year, as sales were up a massive 45 per cent.

In India, not just high-end new-generation Apple phones are flying off the shelves, older generation models like iPhone XR, 11, 12 and 13 are now popular among those who cannot afford the new handsets, thanks to attractive offers and schemes.

From your neighbourhood barber to the morning doodhwala (milkman), from your local sabzi seller to dhobi (washerman), iPhones are becoming the new norm for them and they do not mind paying a little extra over Chinese models to join the ever-growing Apple family in the country.

With an iPhone comes the need for an Apple Watch, AirPods Pro and an iPad, thus driving the entire ecosystem for the company in a country where Apple iPhones were once reserved for only the rich and the famous.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

According to Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint, India is among 20-odd countries where the ‘premiumisation’ trend has just started.

“Easy finance, buy now, pay later (BNPL), and shift from mid-tier to premium is happening. Though the premium smartphone market (over $400 retail) is only 7 per cent in India of the total smartphone market, it is likely to hit 10 per cent next year and is growing much faster (more than 14 per cent) than the overall smartphone market (7 per cent),” Pathak told IANS.

Basically, the strong aspirational and brand value, along with a wider iPhone portfolio, is now driving Apple sales in India.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said last week that the company has made a new revenue record in India in the July-September period, and continues to perform well with strong double-digit growth in the country, which is next on Apple’s big manufacturing plans.

According to CyberMedia Research (CMR), iPhones grew 44 per cent (quarter-on-quarter) in the July-September period in India, selling over 1.7 million iPhones.

“Apple posted gains in the India market in Q3, 2022 and in the run-up to the all-important festive season. We continue to see the consumer demand for premium smartphones remaining resilient, with Apple being a prime beneficiary with its iPhone sales,” Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, told IANS.

Another key reason, according to Pathak, for growth is that Apple’s user base is at a record level in India and these users are spending more on devices and services within the Apple ecosystem.

“This led to the revenue growth as we saw in the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2022. Apple continues to drive a new user base in India across its product categories and in a unique position with respect to the ecosystem stickiness,” he elaborated.

Despite the prevailing macro environment, Apple posted gains on the back of its strong brand equity and the sheer aspirational appeal of iPhones in India, added Ram.

Riding on the momentum, the year 2023 is likely to be a year when Apple is set to experience a growth never-seen-before in the India market, say industry experts.

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Business India News

‘Made in India’ iPhone 14 coming soon

Foxconn is assembling the new iPhone 14 at its Sriperumbudur facility near Chennai…reports Asian Lite News

In a fillip to India’s thrust on local manufacturing, Apple on Monday confirmed it has kicked off the production of new iPhone 14 in India, a first for the tech giant as it narrows down the manufacturing period of new iPhones in India, along with China which is its key global manufacturing hub.

The locally-assembled iPhone 14 will go on sale in the country in the fourth quarter, as the company bolsters its local manufacturing/assembling plans by spending billions of dollars.

“The new iPhone 14 lineup introduces groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities. We’re excited to be manufacturing iPhone 14 in India,” Apple told IANS in a statement.

Foxconn is assembling the new iPhone 14 at its Sriperumbudur facility near Chennai.

At this pace, industry analysts predict that next year, Apple might manufacture iPhone 15 in India at the same time in China.

The tech giant first started manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017 with iPhone SE.

Apple manufactures some of its most advanced iPhones in the country, including iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, at the Foxconn facility, while iPhone SE and iPhone 12 are being assembled at the Wistron factory in the country.

As India doubles down on local manufacturing of technology products, Apple is likely to move 5 per cent of its new iPhone 14 production to India by the end of this year, and 25 per cent by 2025, according to a JP Morgan analysis.

“India’s iPhone supply chain has historically supplied only legacy models. Interestingly, Apple has requested that EMS vendors manufacture iPhone 14/14 Plus models in India in 4Q22, within two to three months of the start of production in Mainland China,” according to the JP Morgan report.

“The much shorter interval implies the increasing importance of India production and likely higher iPhone allocations to India manufacturing in the future,” the report noted.

Buoyed by the ease-of-doing business and friendly local manufacturing policies, Apple’s ‘Make in India’ iPhones will potentially account for close to 85 per cent of its total iPhone production for the country this year.

With the iPhone 14 series, Apple’s iPhone production in India is slated to jump from 7 million iPhones in 2021 to touch a new milestone of around 12 million iPhones in 2022, marking a significant growth of more than 71 per cent (year-on-year), according to CMR.

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