OPPO, the smartphone maker from China, has decided to start manufacturing 10 lakh-odd 4G phones a month at its upcoming Noida facility. The manufacturing process would start from August, as told by Mike Wang, CEO of OPPO Mobiles India.
Even though the 4G smartphones would be designed in China, they would be manufactured in Noida after "local level customisation for the India market", Wang told ET.
For the manufacturing process, OPPO Mobiles India has invested Rs 100 crore in the production facility situated in Noida.
The names of the specific models that would be made in Noida were not revealed, but the 4G phones are said to be priced in the Rs 10,000-20,000 range.
All the 4G phones made in Noida will be initially sold in the Indian market; however, in future, the production capacity can be exported to South Asian markets.
OPPO’s pact with Taiwanese contract manufacturer, Foxconn in India will need to be adjusted to make way for this new manufacturing process.
"Foxconn would continue to manufacture smartphones for OPPO in India," said Wang, even after the Noida factory starts manufacturing.
OPPO’s decision to locally manufacture smartphones has come at a time when handset makers from around the world are either considering opening up manufacturing processes in multi-billion dollar opportunity in India, or have already started manufacturing locally.
Image source | File photo
