Apple Manufacturing In India

Apple Keen On Expanding Manufacturing Base In India

By Payal Mehta

In a series of meetings with the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has expressed confidence about a long-term working relationship with India.

After the meeting with Prime Minister Modi, Tim Cook on Wednesday tweeted, “Thank you Prime Minister @narendramodi for the warm welcome. We share your vision of the positive impact technology can make on India’s future — from education and developers to manufacturing and the environment, we’re committed to growing and investing across the country.”

Prime Minister Modi also tweeted after the meeting saying, “An absolute delight to meet you, @tim_cook! Glad to exchange views on diverse topics and highlight the tech-powered transformations taking place in India.”

Government sources said Apple has been praising the stability of India’s policy calling it “clearly impressive”.

Viewing India as its long-term market, the iPhone manufacturer has expressed interest in expansion plans, including manufacturing the latest products.

Currently, the employment strength of Apple in India stands at 1 lakh. Sources said this is expected to go up to 2 lakh in the coming years.

In terms of the required skilled labour, the Union government stands committed to supplying the required manpower including providing customised requirements. It is in the public knowledge that Gati Shakti Vidyalaya is designing courses for manufacturers. The sources say that such a similar arrangement can also be made for Apple.

Tim Cook is currently in India for the launch of two Apple stores. The first was launched in Mumbai on Tuesday while the second retail store will be launched in Delhi on Thursday.

In another development, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also tweeted about his meeting with CEO Tim Cook.

Late Wednesday, the minister posted, “Met with @tim_cook, CEO, Apple. Discussed deepening Apple’s engagement in India across manufacturing, electronics exports, app economy, skilling, sustainability and job creation especially for women. Jointly charting a long-term and strong relationship.”

Minister of State for IT and Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar also met the tech giant’s CEO on Wednesday.

The MoS tweeted, “It was a delight to meet @tim_cook CEO, @Apple and his team to engage on Apple’s strategic and long-term partnership with and in India’s digital journey. We discussed deepening and broadening manufacturing, exports, skilling of youth, expanding app n innovation economy and job creation. #NewIndia #IndiaTechade @_DigitalIndia”. (ANI)

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Meta Influence Campaigns

Irish Regulator Fines Meta 265 MN Euros Over Data Breach

Ireland’s data regulator on Monday slapped Facebook owner Meta with a 265-million-euro (USD 275 million) fine after details of more than half a billion users were leaked on a hacking website.

The penalty resulted from an investigation, started in April 2021, related to the discovery of a collated dataset of Facebook personal data that had been made available online. Facebook was also ordered to take a range of corrective measures, reported Euronews.
Meta said it had cooperated fully with the investigation by Ireland’s Data Privacy Commissioner (DPC) and made changes to its systems during the time in question, including removing the ability to scrape its features in this way using phone numbers.

Monday’s fine is the fourth that Ireland’s Data Privacy Commissioner (DPC) has levied against one of Meta’s companies. It is Meta’s lead privacy regulator within the European Union and has 13 more inquiries into the social media group outstanding.

The DPC regulates Apple, Google, Tiktok, and other technology giants due to the location of their EU headquarters in Ireland. It currently has 40 inquiries open into such firms, including the 13 involving Meta, reported Euronews.

The regulator has the power to impose fines of up to 4 percent of a company’s global revenue under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation’s (GDPR) “One Stop Shop” regime introduced in 2018.

The DPC said mitigating factors in Monday’s decision – which had been approved by all other relevant EU regulators – included Facebook’s actions.

In September the watchdog hit its Instagram subsidiary with a record fine of 405 million euros, which Meta plans to appeal.

The Irish regulator said in a statement that other relevant EU regulators agreed with the decision issued on Monday after it shared a draft ruling with them last month under the bloc’s “one-stop shop” system of regulating large multinationals. (ANI)

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Google For Anti-Competitive Practices

Rs 1,338 Cr Penalty On Google For Anti-Competitive Practices

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 1,337.76 crore on tech giant Google for abusing its dominant position in multiple markets in the Android mobile device ecosystem, apart from issuing cease and desist orders.

The Commission also directed Google to modify its conduct within a defined timeline.
The Commission examined various practices of Google in the matter of licensing of Android mobile operating system and various proprietary mobile applications of Google namely Play Store, Google Search, Google Chrome, and YouTube.

During the course of the inquiry, Google argued about the competitive constraints being faced by Apple, CCI said in a statement.

In relation to understanding the extent of competition between Google’s Android ecosystem and Apple’s iOS ecosystem, the Commission said it noted the differences in the two business models which affect the underlying incentives of business decisions.

The Commission said that Apple’s business was primarily based on a vertically integrated smart device ecosystem that focuses on the sale of high-end smart devices with state-of-the-art software components. Whereas Google’s business was found to be driven by the ultimate intent of increasing users on its platforms so that they interact with its revenue-earning service, which means, an online search which directly affects the sale of online advertising services by Google.

Further, in relation to app stores, the Commission said it noted that the demand for the same comes from three different sets of consumers with smart device original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who wish to install an app store to make their smart devices commercially viable and marketable; app developers, who want to offer their services to the end-users; and end users to wish to access app stores to access content or avail other services.

The Commission said it had examined the substitutability between Google’s Play Store for Android OS and Apple’s App Store for iOS from the perspective of all three demand constituents and found that there is no substitutability between Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

The Commission further noted that there might be some degree of competition between the two mobile ecosystems — Android and Apple, however, that too is also limited at the time of deciding as to which device to buy. Based on its assessment, the Commission found Google to be dominant in all the mentioned relevant markets.

The CCI concluded that mandatory pre-installation of the entire Google Mobile Suite (GMS) under MADA (with no option to un-install the same) and their prominent placement amounts to imposition of an unfair condition on the device manufacturers and thereby in contravention of the provisions of Section 4(2)(a)(i) of the relevant Act. These obligations are also found to be in the nature of supplementary obligations imposed by Google on OEMs and thus, in contravention of Section 4(2)(d) of the Act.

It said Google has perpetuated its dominant position in the online search market resulting in the denial of market access for competing search apps in contravention of Section 4(2)(c) of the Act.

It also concluded that Google has leveraged its dominant position in the app store market for Android OS to protect its position in online general search in contravention of Section 4(2)(e) of the Act and that Google has leveraged its dominant position in the app store market for Android OS to enter as well as protect its position in non-OS specific web browser market through Google Chrome App.

It noted that Google has leveraged its dominant position in the app store market for Android OS to enter as well as protect its position in the OVHPs market through YouTube and thereby contravened provisions of Section 4(2)(e) of the Act.

The CCI also concluded that Google, by making pre-installation of Google’s proprietary apps (particularly Google Play Store) conditional upon signing of AFA/ ACC for all android devices manufactured/ distributed/ marketed by device manufacturers, has reduced the ability and incentive of device manufacturers to develop and sell devices operating on alternative versions of Android i.e., Android forks and thereby limited technical or scientific development to the prejudice of the consumers, in violation of the provisions of Section 4(2)(b)(ii) of the Act.

The CCI also indicated some measures including that Google shall not incentivize or otherwise obligate OEMs not to sell smart devices based on Android forks and shall not restrict uninstalling of its pre-installed apps by the users.

In relation to the computation of penalty, the CCI noted that there were glaring inconsistencies and wide disclaimers in presenting various revenue data points by Google.

“However, in the interest of justice and with an intent of ensuring necessary market correction at the earliest, the CCI quantified the provisional monetary penalties on the basis of the data presented by Google. Accordingly, the CCI imposed a penalty of Rs. 1,337.76 crores upon Google on a provisional basis, for violating Section 4 of the Act,” a CCI release said.

It said Google has been given a time of 30 days to provide the requisite financial details and supporting documents. (ANI)

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Manufacture iPhone 14 In India

Apple To Manufacture iPhone 14 In India

Apple is all set to begin manufacturing its latest iPhone 14 models in India, just days after it had a global unveiling.

“The new iPhone 14 lineup introduces groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities. We’re excited to be manufacturing iPhone 14 in India,” said Apple in a statement to ANI.
Further details about where the iPhone will be manufactured in India, which is the second biggest smartphone market, have not yet been disclosed.

As per reports, the locally produced models are likely to make their way into markets later this year.

In India, the US tech giant is partnering with top 3 global smartphone manufacturers -Wistron, Foxconn, and Pegatron according to reports.

About iPhone 14:

Apple unveiled its highly anticipated iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus variant during its ‘Far Out’ event on September 7.

This new lineup is inspired by the iPhone 13, with sharp metal edges, rounded corners, a glass back, the recognizable notch at the top of the handset, and a lightning port.

The most significant change in the lineup is that the iPhone 13 mini will not be updated with this generation. Instead, the iPhone 14 will be available in two sizes: the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus. They both have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays respectively.

The iPhone 14, like the Apple Watch Series 8, features improved sensors that can detect a car crash. It can aid you in contacting emergency services more swiftly. And even if you’re in the midst of nowhere with no Wi-Fi or cell coverage, the iPhone can still assist you with an emergency SOS via satellite. You can send a message to emergency services as long as you’re outdoors and have an unobstructed vision of the sky.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip. It’s the same chip seen in the iPhone 13 range. Apple claims a 49 per cent improvement in low-light performance.

The iPhone 14 is priced at USD 799, and the iPhone 14 Plus is USD 899. Preorders will begin on September 9. The iPhone 14 will be released on September 16, followed by the iPhone 14 Plus on October 7.

Apple in India:

In 2017, Apple started manufacturing iPhones in India. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme by the Central government is also likely to have attracted several gadget makers, including Apple, to set shop in the country.

The Centre offers a PLI to boost domestic manufacturing and attract significant investments in mobile phone manufacturing and specified electronic components, including Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) units. The Scheme is expected to tremendously boost the electronics manufacturing landscape and establish India at the global level in the electronics sector.

The overall financial outlay for the PLI scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing is pegged at Rs 38,601 crore over five years. Of the total Rs 2.4 lakh crore worth of incentives over the next five years, with the lion’s share is likely to be provided to electronics, auto components, and pharma makers.

The government had launched Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes in 14 sectors which will make Indian manufacturers globally competitive, attract investments, enhance exports, integrate India into the global supply chain and reduce dependency on imports. (ANI)

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