Apple will be opening its first retail outlet in India in 2021, CEO Tim Cook has advised to shareholders, marking the iPhone maker’s initial self-owned outlet in an important potential market. Apple was waiting for government approval to run the branded stores itself rather than relying on a local partner. Apple doesn’t want “somebody else to run the brand for us,” Cook explained.
Apple has been manufacturing iPhones in India for a while, but sales have had to go through third-party stores. The country paved the way for Apple’s arrival with a 2018 decision that let foreign single-brand retailers like Apple operate stores without getting special permission.
Apple hasn’t been a strong seller in India, in part due to high prices that are frequently out of reach. The market is dominated by phone makers with lower-cost hardware like Xiaomi and Samsung. However, it’s too big a target to ignore. India is now the second-largest smartphone market, eclipsing the US, and scoring even a small fraction of that audience could do a lot for Apple’s bottom line. Official stores might help to that end by both making it easier to buy Apple gear and giving the company a higher profile.
