According to people familiar with the matter, Apple has started trial production of the iPhone 15 in China and it’s looking to accelerate the production timeline in India as well.
The so-called NPI (New Product Introduction) process usually takes place in the first quarter of each year so Apple can figure out how the actual production will go once the new iPhones are finalized.
Foxconn has reportedly started trial production of the iPhone 15s and this crucial stage aims to iron out issues between all parties involved in the process. That includes manufacturers and suppliers as well as testing new machines and fine-tuning the quality assurance process.
In addition to the start of the NPI process, the report suggests that Apple planning to reduce the gap between China and India production timelines. As of now, Apple kicks off actual production in China six to nine months before India. That will likely change real soon as Apple is working towards establishing relations with Indian partners.
The ultimate goal is to shrink the gap between Indian and Chinese production by a couple of weeks and shift 5% of the total production to Indian factories.
Source (in Chinese)
