According to a brief statement, Apple is planning to open its first physical store in India, more than 20 years after the corporation originally entered the region through third-party dealers.
Apple BKC will soon be ready for business in Mumbai’s Jio World Drive Mall, which is owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani. Apple only said the shop will be “coming soon” without providing a specific date.
The message reads, “Hello Mumbai,” in a vibrant design inspired by the cab artwork of the city.
The opening is a watershed moment for the California-based firm, which has struggled for years to establish itself as the market leader in India. Apple had planned to open a store in 2021, but Covid-19 has scuttled those plans. Apple’s online store for the Indian market didn’t open until 2020, although the company’s products had been available in the nation for years through re-sellers like Amazon and Walmart. The corporation had never before established a retail presence in India.
Counterpoint Research found that non-Apple businesses have held a significant lead in the Indian smartphone market for some time. In spite of India’s status as one of the world’s largest consumer markets for technology, Apple has lagged behind Samsung and Xiaomi for much of the past few years. Xiaomi is a Chinese manufacturer that has been called “the Apple of China.” The iPhone 13 was the best-selling premium smartphone in India in 2022, although Samsung still had the largest shipping value share.
Hard Time For Apple Geeting Into Indian Markets
Apple has had a hard time breaking into the Indian market since 2018 when the average phone pricing there dropped below Apple’s market prices. Although Foxconn and Wistron Corp. of Taiwan construct some iPhones for Apple, the business has increased production in India in recent years.
The company’s decision to create a physical store in India is indicative of its confidence in the Indian smartphone market and its ambition to increase its visibility and revenue in the region. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has previously stated that the business sees a bright future in the Indian market.
It remains to be seen, though, if and to what extent Apple can obtain market control as it continues to assert its supremacy.
