Apple In Discussion With Titan, Murugappa Group To Source iPhone Camera Components

Apple is in discussions with both the Murugappa Group and Tata Group’s Titan Company to manufacture sub-components for iPhone camera modules, in a bid to reduce dependency on China, says a report by the Economic Times (ET). Despite the assembly of numerous iPhone models in India, Apple currently lacks Indian suppliers for the camera modules integrated into its devices, as disclosed by an individual familiar with the matter to ET.

“Collaborating with either Titan or the Murugappa Group could potentially resolve this concern,” the source cited by the ET report stated.

As per a source quoted by ET, “Within a span of five to six months, the iPhone maker aims to determine the preferred partner to collaborate with.”

The ET report highlighted the camera module as a pivotal component, currently posing one of the “major challenges for Apple in India.” Titan specialises in precision manufacturing for its watches and jewellery, while the Murugappa Group boasts diverse interests across engineering, financial services, and chemicals, as reported by ET.

Apple Intends To Transition Half Of Supply Chain To India 

According to a previous report by ET dated April 11, Apple aims to transition at least half of its supply chain to India and intends to increase local value addition from suppliers by nearly 50 percent within the next three years.

A source informed ET, “Commencing with module assembly serves as a solid foundation to attract various sub-assembly manufacturers and establish the complete local value chain — from image sensor to lenses and the entire camera module.”

As per the ET report, image sensor chips within a camera module represent the most expensive component of both smartphones and their displays. “For image sensors, Apple primarily relies on Sony in Japan, Samsung in Korea, and Omnivision in China. These image sensors are specialised semiconductors, and the barrier to entry for new players in this market is quite high,” stated Martin Yang from Oppenheimer & Co, an investment banking firm, to ET.

In January, ET reported that Apple aimed to achieve production of nearly Rs 1 trillion worth of iPhones in India by the end of March (Q4FY24) or the first quarter of FY25, following capacity increases at its manufacturing partners. Approximately 70 percent of iPhones manufactured in India are exported, a figure expected to rise.