Apple opened its first official store in Mumbai, India. Located at the Jio World Drive mall in the Bandra Kurla Complex area, the store is the first of the two outlets Apple to open in India. Apple CEO Tim Cook threw open the gates to the 28,000 sq ft store. An Apple store is aimed at providing a top-notch experience to customers by functioning as a one-stop destination for product sales, services and accessories. These stores are also architectural marvels, adding to an unrivalled customer experience. The opening of Apple’s two retail stores in India has generated much public excitement, especially among users of the tech giant’s products. People have travelled from as far as Gujarat and Rajasthan to attend the grand opening of the store. 2023 marks 25 years of Apple presence in India.
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The opening of its retail stores underlines Apple’s growing plans for India. The tech giant currently has a share of about 4 per cent in India’s huge smartphone market dominated by Chinese and South Korean manufacturers, primarily due to high prices of its products. The company is now focusing on a retail push in what is the world’s second largest mobile phone market. It has also started expanding its local manufacturing footprint. Apple’s focus on India as a key market is also aimed at reducing its dependence on China at a time when relations between Washington DC and Beijing are strained.
History of Apple in India
- Apple’s history in India can be traced back to the 1990s when the company first started selling its products in the country. However, it wasn’t until the 2000s that Apple began to focus more on the Indian market.
- In 2007, Apple opened its first retail store in India, which was located in Mumbai. However, the company faced several challenges in expanding its retail presence in the country, including restrictions on foreign investment in the retail sector.
- In recent years, Apple has made a concerted effort to expand its presence in India. In 2016, the company announced plans to open its first manufacturing plant in the country, which would produce iPhones for the local market.
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