Mac users in India now have the option of custom configuring their machines, offering significantly greater options as Apple seeks to increase its presence in the country, reports TechCrunch.
“This is a very huge deal,” said Preshit Deorukhkar, a Mumbai-based executive who closely tracks Apple development. “Previously, there was no real way to get a built-to-order or configure-to-order Mac in India. So you were stuck with the base models — say a Mac Mini or 13″ MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM. Now that the company is officially offering this, you get the computer you want and the standard warranty on it.”
Customers looking to purchase a built-to-order Mac in India may, however, have to wait a while to receive their orders, as TechCrunch says it is aiming to fulfill orders within four to five weeks.
Apple has been seeking to expand both sales and protection in India, which has so far been relatively untapped by the company. Sales of Apple products have long been limited to third-party resellers in India, but recently loosened restrictions have allowed Apple to move forward with plans to sell directly to customers. Apple is reportedly set to begin online sales in India later this year, and the company has been scouting for retail store locations in the country.
Apple's manufacturing partners currently have relatively small operations in the country, largely focused on older iPhones, but Apple is said to be very interested in expanding production.
