Apple, which manufactures most of its products in China, also assembles the iPhone 15 in Brazil. It is the Brazilian media MacMagazine which provides this information. One of the assembly sites is Foxconn Brazil in São Paulo, Brazil.
Currently, when purchasing iPhone 15 products from Apple’s online store in Brazil, customers can see a serial number ending with “BR/A” in the URL of the checkout page.
In Brazil, products are identified as “BE/A” or “BZ/A” to distinguish whether they are imported or not. According to analysts, the part number “BR/A” is intended for domestic use.
Brazil imposes high taxes on imports
Apple is reportedly assembling the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 models in Brazil, while the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro models are still imported from China. This could be because the cheapest iPhone 15 model is the most popular in Brazil, according to 9to5 Mac.
Brazil imposes high taxes on imports compared to other countries, so some companies invest in assembling their products in Brazil. The 128GB model of the iPhone 15 was priced at R$7,299 (€1,341) at launch, but is now available at select retailers for R$5,399 (€992).
In addition to China, Apple has invested in production facilities in India and Vietnam. Assembling iPhones in Brazil could help reduce its dependence on China and avoid iPhone shortages in the local market.
Source: “ZDNet Korea”