Apple is planning to open 4 new retail shops in India and has begun manufacturing the iPhone 16 Pro fashions domestically, the corporate mentioned because it deepens its presence on the earth’s second-largest smartphone market.
The U.S. tech big goals to launch shops in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai, constructing on its first two Indian retailers opened in Mumbai and New Delhi final yr.
“We are thrilled to construct our groups as we plan to open extra shops in India, as a result of we’re impressed by the creativity and keenness of our prospects throughout this nation,” mentioned Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice chairman of Retail, in an announcement. “We can’t look forward to them to have much more alternatives to find and store for our wonderful services, and join with our extraordinary, educated workforce members.”
She didn’t present particular timelines for the brand new retailer openings.
Apple additionally confirmed that it has began producing its total iPhone 16 lineup, together with Pro fashions, in India. The firm started manufacturing iPhones within the nation in 2017, beginning with the SE mannequin.
The strikes come as Apple seeks to diversify its manufacturing away from China and faucet into India’s rising smartphone market.
Apple’s push to shift iPhone manufacturing to India is, nonetheless, progressing slower than beforehand forecast, J.P. Morgan analysts mentioned in a report final month. The financial institution expects 20-25% of iPhones to be made in India by 2027. Previous 2022 forecast projected reaching this stage by 2025.
Current iPhone manufacturing in India estimated at 10-15% of whole output, the financial institution mentioned.
Apple’s enterprise in India, the world’s most populous nation, can be on the rise. The firm’s income in India jumped 42% year-on-year in 2023 to $8.7 billion, Morgan Stanley mentioned earlier this yr. iPhone shipments in India grew 39% year-on-year in 2023 to 9.2 million models, making it iPhone’s fifth largest smartphone market.
India’s iPhone enterprise in 2023 was bigger than any standalone nation within the European Union, Morgan Stanley added.
