Apple to open its first retail store in India tomorrow. 5 points

Apple’s first two retail stores in India will open this week in Mumbai and Delhi, welcoming customers from all over the country and around the world to discover the best of Apple. The two new retail locations in India: Apple BKC in Mumbai will be opened on April 18, and Apple Saket in Delhi on April 20. These new retail locations mark a significant expansion in India that will offer great new ways to browse, discover, and buy Apple products with exceptional service and experiences for customers.

“At Apple, our mission is to enrich lives and empower people around the world,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “India has such a beautiful culture and an incredible energy, and we’re excited to build on our long-standing history — supporting our customers, investing in local communities, and working together to build a better future with innovations that serve humanity.”

Apple to open first store in India: What we know

The company at present sells its products in India through exclusive Apple Premium Reseller (APR) stores, large format retail chains like Reliance Digital, Croma etc, mutli-brand retail stores and through e-commerce platforms.

Consumers will now be able to experience the entire ecosystem of Apple products, accessories and customisation options under one roof.

Consumers at the Apple store could get to learn something new by signing up for programmes like 'Today at Apple', getting help setting up devices, and migrating from Windows or Android to the Apple ecosystem.

Apple continues to expand its range of award-winning services available to customers in India, offering a growing catalog of music in Spatial Audio on Apple Music, and most recently launching the new Apple Music Classical app designed specifically for classical music lovers. Services like Apple Music elevate local artists like Mali, Armaan Malik, DIVINE, and Sandunes through expert curation and editorial.

CMR, Head-Industry Intelligence Group, Prabhu Ram said offline retail is a critical touchpoint in India, especially for a majority of Indian consumers who love to touch, feel and explore the products, before making their device purchase considerations.

"For Apple, the Apple BKC and Apple Saket flagship stores are pivotal to turbocharge Apple's future growth in a strategic market. Apple's retail stores globally set a standard in terms of consumer experience, staff knowledge and expertise, and the service standards, beyond products," Ram said to PTI.

He said the Apple flagship stores enjoy some strong tailwinds, with the premium smartphone segment in India growing in double digits. Apple shipped USD 6 billion worth smartphones in 2022 comprising 79 per cent of iPhones in the super-premium ( ₹50,000- ₹1 lakh) smartphone segment, according to CMR.

*With agency inputs