Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, opened the company’s first physical location in Mumbai, India’s financial hub. Videos showed Mr. Cook greeting clients and opening the store’s doors while staff members applauded. Additionally, he welcomed visitors to the shop and posed for photographs with several of them. On Thursday, Mr. Cook will also be there for the launch of a second store in Delhi, the nation’s capital.
Hello, Mumbai! We can’t wait to welcome our customers to the new Apple BKC tomorrow.- Tweet by Tim Cook
According to reports, participants in the inauguration event, which also included performances of regional music and traditional dance, traveled to Mumbai from all around India. The store in Mumbai, which is situated in a posh district, was designed with inspiration from the city’s common black-and-yellow taxis.
Apple products have previously only been accessible in India online or through a sizable network of resellers. The opening of the new outlets corresponds with Apple’s efforts to increase its retail presence in India, the second-largest smartphone market in the world. In the price-conscious Indian market, where more than 95% of cellphones use Google’s Android operating system, the iPhone remains an aspirational device.
As Apple expands its supply chains away from China, India is likewise becoming a more important manufacturing hub for the iPhone. Today, 5% of all iPhones are produced in India. However, experts claim that even while the stores are a crucial component of Apple’s branding strategy, they won’t immediately affect the company’s sales in India. Others, however, have argued that now is a good time for Apple to invest in India’s expanding “premium smartphone” market. By “premium smartphone,” they mean cell phones that cost 40,000 rupees (£451; $558) or more.
The energy, creativity, and passion in Mumbai is incredible! We are so excited to open Apple BKC — our first store in India.- Tim Cook Tweeted
Source: BBC News
