India
By MacRumors Staff
India Articles

Apple Not Able to Open Retail Stores in India Without Selling 30% Locally Sourced Goods
Apple's plan to open three Apple Store locations in India may fall through following a ruling from the Indian finance ministry that says Apple must sell locally sourced goods if it wants to open stores in the country, reports Reuters.
In India, 30 percent of goods sold by foreign companies must be manufactured or produced in the country, a requirement Apple does not meet as its products are...
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iOS 9 Now Supports Spotlight Suggestions in 7 More Countries
Apple this month has expanded Spotlight Suggestions to seven additional regions for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models running iOS 9 or later.
The localized feature is now supported in Hong Kong, India, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
Spotlight Suggestions, such as popular contacts, frequently opened apps, nearby amenities, and local...

iPhones Too Expensive in India, Says Apple CEO Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that iPhones are too expensive in India, during an interview with Indian news channel NDTV on Monday, the last day of his weeklong visit to the country (via TechCrunch).
According to a recent report from Deutsche Bank, India is among the most expensive places in the world to buy an iPhone. Prices there average 31 percent higher than the U.S., with only iPhones in...

Tim Cook Meets With India's PM Narendra Modi, Launches New App
Apple CEO Tim Cook continued his week-long visit to India today by meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss manufacturing and retail opportunities, as well as launch a new state mobile app (via The Times of India).
During the meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence, Modi explained his Digital India initiative and asked Apple to support its key objectives of e-education, ...

Tim Cook and Lisa Jackson's India Trips Continue With Cricket Games, Bollywood Stars and 'Solar Mamas'
Apple CEO Tim Cook and Lisa P. Jackson, vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, are currently in India on a multi-day trip meeting various business leaders, politicians, developers and more. Yesterday, Cook visited the famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai before proceeding to a series of meetings. Meanwhile, Jackson made her way to the Indian state of Rajasthan to meet the...

Apple to Hire 4,000 Employees in Hyderabad, India to Work on Maps Development
In line with previous rumors and confirmations, Apple today announced the opening of a new development center in Hyderabad, India focused on Apple Maps development.
WaveRock campus in Hyderabad, India
The new center, launched in partnership with RMSI, will employ up to 4,000 workers, with the announcement coming as part of Tim Cook's ongoing trip to China and India. “Apple is focused on...

Tim Cook Starts India Trip With Temple Visit and Meetings in Mumbai
After arriving in India from Beijing on late Tuesday night, Apple CEO Tim Cook started his five-day trip in the country with a pre-dawn visit to the famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai on Wednesday, according to The Indian Express. Cook was accompanied by newly promoted Apple India head Sanjay Kaul.
Tim Cook and Apple India head Sanjay Kaul, right (Image: The Indian Express)
Cook proceeded...

Apple Announces Plans to Establish iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in India
As was rumored earlier this week, Apple today announced plans to establish a new iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bangalore, India. According to Apple, the accelerator is part of an effort to support engineering talent and boost growth in India's iOS developer community.
"India is home to one of the most vibrant and entrepreneurial iOS development communities in the world," said...

Apple to Open First Apple Stores in India Within 18 Months
Following the Indian government's approval of Apple's request to open retail stores in the country, Apple is planning to launch three stores in India over the course of the next 18 months.
Apple will open Apple-branded retail stores in Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai before the end of 2017, according to a source that spoke to Indian website FactorDaily.
A team of more than 40 Apple executives...

Tim Cook to Visit India This Week Following Beijing
Following his trip to Beijing, China on Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook will travel to India tomorrow to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this week, according to Reuters.
Cook will be making his first-ever trip to India as CEO, as Apple seeks to increase its presence in the world's most populous country after China. He is also expected to hold meetings with employees and partners in the ...

Foxconn Reportedly Close to Deal to Open iPhone Manufacturing Facility in India
Apple manufacturer Foxconn is close to signing a deal with the Indian government to open a manufacturing facility intended to make iPhones, reports ET Now (via AppleInsider). The project would cost $10 billion and be built on top of 1,200 acres of land in Maharashtra, India.
While several other Indian states were in consideration for the plant, Foxconn chose Maharashtra, the third largest...

Apple Increases iPhone SE Orders Amid Growing Sales Pressures
In line with Apple CEO Tim Cook's recent comments about "very strong" iPhone SE demand exceeding supply, the company has reportedly increased orders for the low-priced 4-inch smartphone in the second quarter of 2016.
DigiTimes claims that the second-quarter outlook for iPhone SE-related chip orders has been revised to more than 5 million units, up from 3.5-4 million, and the upward trend is...

Indian Government Approves Single-Branded Apple Retail Stores
The Indian government is set to approve Apple's request to open its own retail stores in the country and exempt the company from its domestic sourcing policy for foreign businesses.
Apple currently has no wholly-owned stores in India and sells its products through a number of distributors. Back in January, the company sent an application to the country's Department of Industrial Policy and...

Samsung Lobbies Indian Government to Deny Apple Request to Sell Used iPhones
Early last month we reported that Apple was planning to sell refurbished iPhones in India and had submitted a formal request to the country's government in order to allow it to begin importing pre-owned iPhones into the country.
This morning, however, news has surfaced that major smartphone makers in the Indian market including Samsung, Karbonn, Micromax and Intex are actively opposing Apple's ...

Apple Submits Application to Sell Used iPhones in India
Apple is gearing up to launch a refurbished iPhone market in India, according to a new report from The Times of India. The company is seeking permission from the Indian government to import pre-owned iPhones into the country, and has submitted a formal request to the ministry of environment and forests to begin doing so.
"An application from Apple regarding import of certified pre-owned...

Apple Withdraws iPhone 4s, 5c Handsets From India
Apple has ceased sales of some of its older iPhone models in India in a bid to improve its flagging profitability and average selling price in the country.
The company today withdrew the iPhone 4s, which was selling for as low as Rs 12,000 ($175), in a move aimed at increasing share and acquiring new customers. Apple also stopped selling its iPhone 5c model, priced at Rs 20,000 ($292),...

India's $7 Smartphone Set to Disrupt World's Third Largest Mobile Market
An Indian handset maker will tomorrow launch the country's cheapest smartphone, in a move that's likely to disrupt its booming mobile market of over 200 million users.
Called Freedom 251 and priced at under Rs 500 ($7), the handset is being manufactured by domestic handset maker Ringing Bells as part of the government's Made in India campaign, which promotes and encourages local manufacturing.
...

Apple to Open $25 Million Technology Development Site in India [Updated]
Apple plans to open a $25 million technology development site that'll span 250,000 square feet in Hyderabad, India, according to ZDNet. The site will open its "innovation center" in June of this year before ramping up to full operations by the end of the year.
The new centre will be built on 250,000 square feet of land in the real estate firm Tishman Speyer's WaveRock facility at Hyderabad's IT...

Apple Close to Approval for Opening Retail Locations in India
Apple is close to gaining clearance to open its first retail store locations in India, according to a source familiar with the matter speaking with Bloomberg. Apple will be re-submitting its retail presence application to the Indian government due to a format problem, but Bloomberg's source said that India plans to push the application through without issue.
Due to the fact that Apple is "a...

Apple Files Application to Open Retail Stores in India
Apple India has filed an application with the country's department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) to open its own retail stores, according to India Times. The company is also seeking to sell its products online in India.
DIPP Secretary Amitabh Kant confirmed the application to India Times, saying they have "just received Apple's proposal" and that they are "examining it." Apple's...