• The first customers through the doors of Apple's flagship Dubai Mall store get their hands on the new iPhone 14. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National
    The first customers through the doors of Apple's flagship Dubai Mall store get their hands on the new iPhone 14. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National
  • IT worker Abdul Rafeeque with the new model.
    IT worker Abdul Rafeeque with the new model.
  • The new iPhone has had strong reviews for its display, processing power and camera - though some critics say Apple has not given users enough new features to make it worth the upgrade from a 13 model.
    The new iPhone has had strong reviews for its display, processing power and camera - though some critics say Apple has not given users enough new features to make it worth the upgrade from a 13 model.
  • The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the largest phone Apple has released, and is slightly heavier and thicker than the iPhone 13.
    The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the largest phone Apple has released, and is slightly heavier and thicker than the iPhone 13.
  • All of Apple's iPhone 14 stock in this store was reserved or sold within 45 minutes.
    All of Apple's iPhone 14 stock in this store was reserved or sold within 45 minutes.
  • Many shoppers arrived before the mall even opened.
    Many shoppers arrived before the mall even opened.
  • Some customers took the morning off work to queue early on Friday.
    Some customers took the morning off work to queue early on Friday.
  • An Apple shop worker shows off the new model.
    An Apple shop worker shows off the new model.
  • Some customers bought several for family and friends, spending tens of thousands of dirhams.
    Some customers bought several for family and friends, spending tens of thousands of dirhams.
  • The launch of the iPhone 14 at the Apple Store in Dubai Mall.
    The launch of the iPhone 14 at the Apple Store in Dubai Mall.
  • The new iPhone 14 on display at the Apple Store in Dubai Mall.
    The new iPhone 14 on display at the Apple Store in Dubai Mall.

Apple to manufacture new iPhone 14 in India


  • English
  • Arabic

Apple will make its iPhone 14 in India, the company said on Monday, as manufacturers shift production from China amid geopolitical tension and pandemic restrictions that have disrupted supply chains for many industries.

“The new iPhone 14 line-up introduces groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities. We’re excited to be manufacturing iPhone 14 in India,” Apple said in a statement.

The company unveiled its latest line-up of iPhones earlier this month. They will have improved cameras, faster processors and longer-lasting batteries at the same prices as last year’s models.

India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market after China but iPhone sales have struggled to capture a large share of the market against cheaper smartphones from competitors.

The announcement from the California-based company dovetails with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for local manufacturing, which has been a key goal for his government ever since he took office in 2014.

The tech company has bet big on India, where it first began manufacturing its iPhone SE in 2017 and has since continued to assemble a number of iPhone models there. Apple opened its online store for India two years ago, but the pandemic has delayed plans for a flagship store in the country, local media reported.

The latest model will be shipped out by Foxconn, a major iPhone assembler, whose facilities are on the outskirts of Chennai, a city in southern India.

Apple is likely to shift about 5 per cent of its iPhone 14 production to India from later this year, raising it to 25 per cent by 2025, a JP Morgan report quoted by the Press Trust of India news agency said.

Supply chain risks such as the stringent Covid-19 lockdowns in China are likely the trigger for such relocation efforts that will continue over the next two or three years, the report said.

iPhone 14 launch — in photos

  • Available in a 6.1-inch display and a new, larger 6.7-inch size, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus feature impressive camera upgrades and groundbreaking new safety capabilities. Photo: Apple
    Available in a 6.1-inch display and a new, larger 6.7-inch size, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus feature impressive camera upgrades and groundbreaking new safety capabilities. Photo: Apple
  • The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available in five colours: midnight, blue, starlight, purple, and (PRODUCT)RED. Photo: Apple
    The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available in five colours: midnight, blue, starlight, purple, and (PRODUCT)RED. Photo: Apple
  • Apple chief executive Tim Cook speaks at an Apple event on the campus of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California. AP
    Apple chief executive Tim Cook speaks at an Apple event on the campus of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California. AP
  • Apple Watch Ultra features a new, customisable action button in high-contrast international orange that gives users quick physical control over a range of functions. Photo: Apple
    Apple Watch Ultra features a new, customisable action button in high-contrast international orange that gives users quick physical control over a range of functions. Photo: Apple
  • The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus offer industry-leading durability and amazing battery life, including the best battery life ever in an iPhone with iPhone 14 Plus. Photo: Apple
    The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus offer industry-leading durability and amazing battery life, including the best battery life ever in an iPhone with iPhone 14 Plus. Photo: Apple
  • Mr Cook arrives to speak at an Apple event in Cupertino. AP
    Mr Cook arrives to speak at an Apple event in Cupertino. AP
  • Visitors arrive at the Steve Jobs Theatre before the Far Out Apple event. Bloomberg
    Visitors arrive at the Steve Jobs Theatre before the Far Out Apple event. Bloomberg
  • Visitors arrive at Steve Jobs Theatre on the Apple campus. Bloomberg
    Visitors arrive at Steve Jobs Theatre on the Apple campus. Bloomberg
  • Members of the media await the arrival of Mr Cook in Cupertino. EPA
    Members of the media await the arrival of Mr Cook in Cupertino. EPA
  • Mr Cook presents the new iPhone 14 at the event. Reuters
    Mr Cook presents the new iPhone 14 at the event. Reuters
  • The new extra-small ear tip on the Apple AirPods Pro delivers a better fit to more customers. Photo: Apple
    The new extra-small ear tip on the Apple AirPods Pro delivers a better fit to more customers. Photo: Apple
  • The new AirPods Pro bring major upgrades to Transparency mode, Spatial Audio and convenience features while cancelling up to twice as much noise. Photo: Apple
    The new AirPods Pro bring major upgrades to Transparency mode, Spatial Audio and convenience features while cancelling up to twice as much noise. Photo: Apple
  • You can personalise the charging case with Memoji, Animoji and a curated list of stickers. Photo: Apple
    You can personalise the charging case with Memoji, Animoji and a curated list of stickers. Photo: Apple
  • The new AirPods Pro. Photo: Apple
    The new AirPods Pro. Photo: Apple
  • Apple Watch Ultra, the most rugged and capable Apple Watch. Photo: Apple
    Apple Watch Ultra, the most rugged and capable Apple Watch. Photo: Apple
  • Three new bands — Trail Loop, Alpine Loop and Ocean Band — offer unique design features that provide a secure and comfortable fit. Photo: Apple
    Three new bands — Trail Loop, Alpine Loop and Ocean Band — offer unique design features that provide a secure and comfortable fit. Photo: Apple
  • The reimagined Lock Screen in iOS 16 offers a multilayered effect that sets subjects of photos in front of the time, along with newly designed widgets. Photo: Apple
    The reimagined Lock Screen in iOS 16 offers a multilayered effect that sets subjects of photos in front of the time, along with newly designed widgets. Photo: Apple
  • The Ultra Wide camera offers a new perspective for photos and video, and receives benefits from Photonic Engine — an enhanced image pipeline. Photo: Apple
    The Ultra Wide camera offers a new perspective for photos and video, and receives benefits from Photonic Engine — an enhanced image pipeline. Photo: Apple
  • Crash Detection uses specialised components paired with Apple-designed algorithms to detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone. Photo: Apple
    Crash Detection uses specialised components paired with Apple-designed algorithms to detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone. Photo: Apple
  • The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus contain a new 12MP Main camera, a new front TrueDepth camera and the Ultra Wide camera. Photo: Apple
    The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus contain a new 12MP Main camera, a new front TrueDepth camera and the Ultra Wide camera. Photo: Apple
  • The iPhone 14 line-up includes Emergency SOS via satellite, enabling the user to contact emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Photo: Apple
    The iPhone 14 line-up includes Emergency SOS via satellite, enabling the user to contact emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Photo: Apple

“Apple has been trying to diversify its supply chain for a while, but these efforts have grown in the last two years over trade sanctions between the US and China,” said Sanyam Chaurasia, an analyst at Canalys.

Last year, the tech company manufactured about seven million iPhones in India. This news is likely to significantly increase India-made Apple smartphones, he added.

Most of Apple’s smartphones and tablets are assembled by contractors with factories in China, but the company started to look at the possibility of moving some production to South-East Asia or other places after repeated shutdowns to fight Covid-19 disrupted the global flow of products.

Apple has not released details, but news reports say the company has planned to set up assembly of tablet computers and wireless earphones in Vietnam.

Other companies are keeping or expanding manufacturing in China to serve the domestic market while shifting export-orientated work to other countries due to rising wages and other costs, as well as the difficulty for foreign executives to visit China due to anti-Covid travel restrictions.

  • A medical worker collects a swab sample from a man for nucleic acid testing at a residential compound in Xi’an. Reuters
    A medical worker collects a swab sample from a man for nucleic acid testing at a residential compound in Xi’an. Reuters
  • Residents queue for Covid-19 tests in the city. AFP
    Residents queue for Covid-19 tests in the city. AFP
  • Security guards patrol an area of Xi’an that is under restrictions after the recent coronavirus outbreak. AFP
    Security guards patrol an area of Xi’an that is under restrictions after the recent coronavirus outbreak. AFP
  • People queue outside a pagoda at a mass testing centre in the city. Reuters
    People queue outside a pagoda at a mass testing centre in the city. Reuters
  • Protective gear is worn at the entrance of university accommodation that is under lockdown. Reuters
    Protective gear is worn at the entrance of university accommodation that is under lockdown. Reuters
UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 

Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Fixtures: Monday, first 50-over match; Wednesday, second 50-over match; Thursday, third 50-over match

Ibrahim's play list

Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute

Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc

Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar

His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach

Also enjoys listening to Mozart

Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz

Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica 

Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil

MATCH INFO

Qalandars 112-4 (10 ovs)

Banton 53 no

Northern Warriors 46 all out (9 ovs)

Kumara 3-10, Garton 3-10, Jordan 2-2, Prasanna 2-7

Qalandars win by six wickets

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

MATCH INFO

First Test at Barbados
West Indies won by 381 runs

Second Test at Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets

Third Test at St Lucia
February 9-13

 

RACE CARD

5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB); Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA); Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA); Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA); Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T); 1,400m

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry

Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

Miss Granny

Director: Joyce Bernal

Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa

3/5

(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Where to submit a sample

Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')

Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog

Name: Samar Frost

Born: Abu Dhabi

Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends

Favourite singer: Adele

Squid Game season two

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk 

Stars:  Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun

Rating: 4.5/5

Sustainable Development Goals

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality  within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

Racecard

6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m 

7.10pm: British Business Group – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m 

7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m 

8.20pm: Czech Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,400m 

8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m 

9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m  

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES

Mar 10: Norwich(A)

Mar 13: Newcastle(H)

Mar 16: Lille(A)

Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)

Apr 2: Brentford(H)

DMZ facts
  • The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
  • It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
  • The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
  • It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
  • Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
  • Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
  • Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012. 
  • Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Updated: September 26, 2022, 4:54 PM