Apple has established its first retail store in India, at Reliance-owned Jio World Drive in Mumbai. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Deirdre O’Brien, senior vice president of Retail, opened the shop. On Thursday, the firm plans to launch a new store in New Delhi’s Select City Walk mall, and Cook is set to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same trip.
As a significant base for smartphone production, India is becoming increasingly essential for Apple’s worldwide ambitions. Some iPhones are currently produced in India by Taiwanese contractors Foxconn and Wistron, and iPads and AirPods may follow next in the future.
Apple presently has a 6% market share in India, owing to its high costs. However, the firm intends to alter that by increasing its national production presence and creating additional retail locations. For corporations looking to expand their manufacturing capabilities, India and Vietnam are emerging as leading alternatives to China.
Until recently, Apple sold everything in India through third-party merchants or online, but the company has created its online store nationwide. Customers may now buy iPhones straight from the website and customise them as they wish.
Apple’s interest in India is projected to rise since the number of iPhones manufactured and exported from India increased by 65% year compared to last year. Apple clearly sees India as a crucial market for future growth, as seen by building its first store in India and plans for expanded production in the nation.
