Apple Store app launch in India is a precursor to substantial retail expansion

This year, Apple is expected to double down on its presence in India, and will embark on the next stage of retail expansion in the country. In a move that will potentially set the ball rolling for what is to come in the next few months, the Apple Store app is finally available for users in India. The retail plans, which will bear significant impetus over the next few months, sit alongside Apple’s education and environment-focused social initiatives in India, relying on local partnerships.

“At Apple, our customer is at the centre of everything we do, and we are thrilled to introduce the Apple Store app to reach even more users in India, further deepening our connections. With the Apple Store app, customers will discover a new and seamless way to shop for all our incredible products, receive personalised support, and really experience the best of Apple,” said Karen Rasmussen, Apple’s head of Retail Online.

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The Apple Store app becomes another touchpoint for Apple’s online retail footprint, alongside the Apple India online store website. All of Apple’s products and services will be listed on the app. Contextual suggestions for a shopping experience will be key, with the company insisting customers using the Apple Store app will be able to take advantage of personalised recommendations as they browse or shop.

Much like the Apple India online store website, the Apple Store app will replicate the product lines that are on sale, along with the company’s retail programs including Apple Trade In, payment offers across product lines, and financing offers including bank discounts, cash backs, and no-cost EMIs. Once the order is placed, the Apple Store app will unlock options for delivery or pickup. There are the optional online Personal Setup sessions too, if a buyer needs help to navigate their new purchase.

Product customisations, which will be relevant for Mac buyers for instance, will be available in their entirety on the Apple Store app—that’ll include chip upgrades, adding more memory or storage, or bundling software with an iMac, Mac mini or MacBook purchase. Engraving options for AirPods, iPad, the Apple Pencil portfolio and Air Tag will include the same options as the website and physical retail stores—emoji, names, initials and numbers, in any of the eight supported Indian languages.

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Apple’s increased India focus is undeniable, considering the size of the market and maintained momentum. During Apple’s Q4 2024 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook had noticed the trajectory.

“We continue to be excited by the enthusiasm we’re seeing in India, where we set an all-time revenue record,” he noted at the time, when the iPhone set quarter segment revenue records in many countries. The iPhone shipments to India are growing significantly year on year, with this momentum becoming clear at the end of 2023 itself when India became the largest standalone country-sized market for Apple’s iPhone business.

The iPad too delivered a strong quarter for Apple, generating $7 billion in revenue, which is an increase of 8% year-over-year. “In addition to growth in developed markets, we also saw strong performance in many emerging markets, with double-digit growth in Mexico, Brazil, the Middle East, India, and South Asia,” Luca Maestri, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Apple, said during the earnings call.

Late last year, HT reported that Apple began manufacturing the iPhone 16 Pro phones in the country, which means for the first time, iPhone Pro models are also being made by Apple’s contract manufacturers in India. Till then, only the standard iPhone models were manufactured here.

That was also the time when Apple surprised its Android smartphone competition, by significantly reducing prices of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, compared with their predecessors, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. By bucking a trend of generational inflation, it forced phone makers including Samsung to respond with price corrections and bundled schemes, for their phones.

More retail stores

Tim Cook has already confirmed Apple’s plans for more flagship retail stores in the country.

“We can’t wait to bring four new stores to customers in India,” he had said, during the Q4 earnings call. These new stores will join Apple Saket in New Delhi and Apple BKC in Mumbai, which opened in April 2023. Though Apple has not officially communicated location pins on the map just yet, Delhi and Mumbai could see a new store each, with Bengaluru and Pune in the mix as well. For now, no confirmed timelines for when these stores officially open their glass doors for customers, but all four are expected in 2025.