Apple has decided to proceed with opening new Apple Stores in the country. The company’s CEO Tim Cook confirmed these plans during the Q3 earnings call, stating that Apple will open new retail stores in both India and the UAE by the end of this year. During the earnings call for the quarter ending between April and June, the Apple CEO announced that iPhone revenue share increased by 13 percent in that period. Since 2007, the company has sold an astounding 3 billion (300 crore) iPhones.
Tim Cook reiterated that the company plans to establish retail stores in new locations across India and the UAE. Recent reports suggest these stores could be opened in Indian cities such as Noida (near Delhi), Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune.
While Tim Cook did not disclose specific opening dates for the Indian stores, reports indicate potential locations include Mumbai's Sky City Mall in Borivali and Phoenix Mall of Asia in Bengaluru. Other rumored locations include Copa Mall in Pune and DLF Mall of India in Noida.
Tim Cook also mentioned that a new Apple Store recently opened in Saudi Arabia. He expressed excitement about opening new Apple Stores in India and the UAE by the end of this year. Additionally, a new Apple Store has also been inaugurated in Osaka, Japan.
Trump's threat
In May, Donald Trump had threatened Apple, asserting that they should establish manufacturing units in America instead of India. Otherwise, he warned, he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on Apple products. Despite this, Apple is actively pursuing expansion in a fast-growing market like India.
This year alone, the company has already exported millions of iPhone units from India to both American and European markets. Apple's strategy involves focusing on expanding in India by gradually shifting manufacturing units away from China.
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