Bloomberg: Apple to Open India Online Store Next Month

Apple is preparing to open its first online store in India next month, according to a new report today from Bloomberg.

apple india

Apple Inc. is poised to open an online store for the first time in the fast-growing smartphone market of India next month, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, taking advantage of a relaxation of once-strict prohibitions against foreign direct retail.

The online store will be ready for operations just ahead of the festive Dussehra-Diwali spending season, according to the person, who asked not to be named discussing confidential plans.

Sales of Apple products have long been limited to third-party resellers in India, because of restrictions on foreign companies that require them to source 30 percent of production locally.

In August 2019, India eased these rules keeping Apple from offering its products in first-party stores and an online Apple Store. Apple had originally intended to start online sales within months of the rule change, but the global health crisis reportedly scuppered those plans.

TechCrunch first reported in January that Apple would open an online ‌Apple Store‌ in India to start official direct sales of iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more in the country starting in the third quarter of 2020.

With the rules changed, Apple is also set to begin opening up retail stores in India in the future and already has retail locations in the works. A new store in Mumbai is in development and is set to open next year. Meanwhile, Bloomberg says that Apple has already scouted a location for its second India store, located in Bangalore near Minsk Square.

Even prior to the rule change, Apple was working with the Indian government to get permission to open up stores in India. Over the course of the last few years, Apple started manufacturing some lower-cost ‌iPhone‌ models in India to meet local investment requirements, and has recently started assembling the ‌iPhone‌ SE and the ‌iPhone‌ 11 in the country through manufacturing partners Wistron and Foxconn, respectively.

Apple devices have had low penetration among India's 1.3 billion population due to high costs from import tariffs, making them limited to buyers the high-end premium market. The rule changes will make Apple devices more affordable to Indian consumers and should therefore see Apple grow its footprint in the country.

Tag: India

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Top Rated Comments

EvilEvil Avatar
64 months ago
It's crazy it took them this long.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mobi-logic Avatar
64 months ago
So Finally I could get the custom configuration and not the base configuration for all Mac line of products. Its frustrating when you pay $2700 for MBP and ready to pay extra $400 for RAM or storage but Apple didnt gave that option till now. Looking forward for online store opening.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vseera Avatar
64 months ago
Yup, looking forward to custom configurations too! Although till they get their pricing strategy sorted out, it'll still be cheaper to fly to Hong Kong etc. and have a short holiday and buy stuff.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ramchi Avatar
64 months ago

hope aapl india market will grow
hope iphone mfg in india does well
If the rumours I am hearing about cost of iPhone 12 in India is true (cheaper than iPhone 11 which was cheaper than iPhone XR) which seems to be cheaper than the OnePlus 8 Pro 12 GB/256 GB variant then Apple can really pull enormous trick in the market. But they need to remember that already the cheapest SE models are at the tip of the price barrier for the most common man in the country. Right now they are probably less than 1% in the domestic market.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
techish Avatar
64 months ago
Now when is India getting iBooks store, Apple Pay, Apple Care+, Apple Card & good quality maps? Hope refurbished store & educational discounts too will be offered over online store…
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ramchi Avatar
64 months ago
Welcome move hope it helps reducing prices as well deservingly
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)