iPhone 17 Being Developed in India: What to Expect From Base Model

Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is conducting early development of the base iPhone 17 at a factory in Bengaluru, India, according to The Information's Wayne Ma. This is considered to be a "milestone" for Apple's manufacturing efforts in India.

iphone 16 teal
The paywalled report said this iPhone 17 model has already passed an early development stage, as Apple evaluates whether India-based engineers can develop iPhone prototypes that match the quality of those built at its California headquarters. Apple's goal is to start developing new iPhones as early as possible in locations closer to where final assembly takes place, which could result in lower operating costs for the company.

The report does not reveal any new features or changes planned for the iPhone 17, but Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu outlined some features that he expects for the base model in a research note earlier this month:

  • 6.1-inch display
  • A19 chip
  • 8GB of RAM
  • An upgraded 24-megapixel front camera
  • Two rear cameras, including a 48-megapixel Fusion and 12-megapixel Ultra Wide
  • Aluminum casing

Based on these specs, the base iPhone 17 will not be a major upgrade over the iPhone 16.

The primary development locations for the rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will still be in China, according to the report. Pu believes the ultra-thin iPhone 17 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM, and more, while the iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to feature a 48-megapixel Telephoto camera, 12GB of RAM, and more. The devices should launch next September.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air

Popular Stories

iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

iPhones Could Cost Up to $2,300 in the U.S. Due to Tariffs, Analyst Says

Friday April 4, 2025 9:30 am PDT by
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that steep tariffs will be applied to imports from many countries, starting April 9. The tariffs could have a significant impact on Apple, as the company assembles the majority of iPhones in China, and products imported to the U.S. from China will be subject to a 54% tariff. iPhone prices could increase by up to 43% in the U.S. due to the...
Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Visa and American Express Vying to Win Apple Card Deal in 'Fierce' Fight

Tuesday April 1, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Visa wants to pay Apple approximately $100 million to be the new payment network for the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. As of right now, the Apple Card is on the Mastercard payment network, but that is set to change because Apple is ending its partnership with Goldman Sachs. Both American Express and Visa are vying to replace Mastercard as Apple's card services provider, while...

Top Rated Comments

turbineseaplane Avatar
22 weeks ago

Based on these specs, the base iPhone 17 will not be a major upgrade over the iPhone 16.
M.O.S. I call it ...

"more of same"

I wonder how many more years Apple can get away with rearranging the deck chairs and slightly tweaking the camera?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
everlast3434 Avatar
22 weeks ago
The bright side is, there's no charger in the box because Apple cares about the environment.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
applyr Avatar
22 weeks ago
So it's the iPhone 16 with a new selfie camera and just being manufactured in India.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CJM Avatar
22 weeks ago

Apple's goal is to start developing new iPhones as early as possible in locations closer to where final assembly takes place, which could result in lower operating costs for the company.

A company like Apple shouldn't be inhibited by distance affecting Dev -> assembly of their devices. I wonder what the words between the lines are.
Legislation. Apple sees India as a big new market and operating there requires investment in the country.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spcopsmac21 Avatar
22 weeks ago

M.O.S. I call it ...

"more of same"

I wonder how many more years Apple can get away with rearranging the deck chairs and slightly tweaking the camera?
As long as people keep paying.

My iPhone 14PM bit the dust and I was forced to get a new 16PM because I need the camera.


And honestly it does not feel like an upgrade. Aside from the button on the side I feel like a just paid full price for a new iPhone 14PM in 2024……

If Apple pulls this again I feel like there will be a revolt.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pugxiwawa Avatar
22 weeks ago

Based on these specs, the base iPhone 17 will not be a major upgrade over the iPhone 16.
It's a yearly competition how small increments Apple can make them and people will still buy
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)