General Mobile is signing a huge cooperation with Taiwan-based Foxconn, which is the biggest player in the global electronics manufacturing market and the main manufacturer of Apple. The strategic partnership between the two companies, the foundations of which were laid in 2021, is being moved to the production dimension with the new decision taken, and Foxconn’s reasonable production operations in Vietnam are being shifted to Istanbul Kağıthane.

Within the scope of this new subsidiary, smartphones, domestic foldable devices and 5G-supported new generation broadband products are produced at the high-tech facility in Kağıthane with an annual capacity of 4.5 million units. This move aims to make Turkey a regional logistics and technology base for the European and US markets, while enabling Türkiye to carry out direct high value-added exports instead of transit trade.

• Huge Migration from Vietnam to Istanbul:Taiwanese Foxconn, which is also Apple’s production partner, is moving some of its production lines in Vietnam to the facility with an annual capacity of 4.5 million units in Kağıthane, Istanbul.

• 5G and Foldable Phone Focus:In addition to smartphones, 5G modems that will appeal to the global market and the highly anticipated domestic foldable phone models are produced at the new production line.

• Türkiye, the Logistics Center of Europe:With the cooperation targeting direct exports instead of transit trade, it is aimed to reduce the production burden in the Far East and make all European shipments via Türkiye.

Global Giant Foxconn Brings Its Production Power to Kağıthane

Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, is known in the technology world for managing the assembly lines of Apple products. The Taiwan-based company, which has entered a strategic transformation process in its global supply chain, is shaking hands with General Mobile to take advantage of Turkey’s geographical and logistics advantages.

Two giant names are taking the R&D and ODM supplier connection they have been carrying out since 2021 to the next level and positioning production directly in Kağıthane, the heart of Istanbul.

According to the details shared by General Mobile Deputy General Manager of Strategy and Business Development İlkay Cihaner, a significant part of General Mobile-focused production in Vietnam is now being completely shifted to Turkey. Thanks to the new borders to be established in the state-of-the-art factory in Kağıthane, domestic engineering power and global production discipline come together. This investment clearly shows that the steps taken by Türkiye within the scope of its national technology offensive in recent years have received response at the global level.

5G Analysis and Verizon Partnership for the American Market

The production leg of the partnership does not only include classic smartphones; 5G, the internet technology of the future, and new generation broadband solutions are also at the center of production. General Mobile, which plans to export high-speed data transmission technologies from Turkey to the whole world, continues its cooperation with Verizon, one of the largest telecommunications operators in the US market.

Field tests of 5G modems produced in this context continue actively in America. 5G-based smart devices and modems to be produced in Türkiye will set global standards with their hardware and software harmony.

On the other hand, the production schedule for the domestic foldable smartphone model, which local technology enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting, is becoming clear. With the completion of the preparations at the factory, the domestic foldable phone is planned to be off the line in October.

From Transit Trade to Direct Export: Türkiye Becomes a Regional Center

In this period when logistics costs and delivery times gain critical importance in global trade, Türkiye’s position constitutes one of the biggest sources of motivation for the giant subsidiary. General Mobile aims not to leave production in the Far East in its long-term projections. Thanks to the organization of all European shipments through Türkiye, logistics times are significantly shortened.

This strategic move promises to make a great contribution to Türkiye’s foreign trade stability. Instead of transit trade models such as assembly or module transfer within the borders of the country, direct value-added technology product exports are being transitioned to.

When Foxconn’s global experience and supply network combine with General Mobil’s local production muscles, Turkey is one step closer to its vision of becoming the new generation technology production base of not only the Middle East and South Asia, but all of Europe.