Apple Shifts iPhone Production: Brazil’s Manufacturing Role
São Paulo — April 18, 2025 — Apple is increasingly relying on Brazilian factories. The company is producing the iPhone 16e alongside lower-end models in Brazil, diversifying its supply chain beyond China and India. What’s driving this shift, and what does it mean for the future of iPhone manufacturing? Read on for more.
Apple’s Shifting Production: Brazil’s Role in iPhone Manufacturing
The south American Connection
apple’s manufacturing footprint extends beyond China and India. For years, Foxconn has operated a factory in the São Paulo countryside, producing lower-end iPhone models. Now, brazil is also involved in the production of the iPhone 16e, alongside India, as Apple continues to diversify its supply chain.
The Brazilian blog MacMagazine first reported the iPhone 16e production in Brazil. A reader provided a photo of the iPhone 16e box, clearly indicating its Brazilian origin. Further inquiry revealed that production had been underway as the phone’s inception, according to Brazil’s Anatel, the country’s equivalent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
apple’s own website confirms this, with the Brazilian iPhone 16e models bearing part numbers ending in “BR/A,” distinguishing them from other iPhone 16 models ending in “BE/A.”
Diversification Drivers
Apple’s move to diversify its supply chain is not new.even before potential tariffs became a major concern,the company was already looking to reduce its reliance on China. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns at major factories, such as the one that delayed [the] iPhone 14 release due to a lockdown at the company’s largest factory
, accelerated this shift.
Labor unrest also played a role.A workers’ strike
at a key facility further highlighted the need for choice production locations. This led Apple to begin moving some of its production to India.
India’s Expanding Role
India’s role in Apple’s manufacturing process is also evolving. Apple is reportedly using Indian factories to handle early manufacturing work for the iPhone 17 base model. This involves translating a prototype designed in Cupertino into a device that can be mass-produced.
This phase, traditionally carried out in China, is now being diversified to India.
Brazil’s Strategic Importance
While Brazil is a significant market for Apple, the Foxconn factory there has not seen significant growth in recent years. However, producing lower-end devices in Brazil could be a strategic move to hedge against potential price increases in the U.S. and other markets, especially given the uncertainties of future trade policies.
