Apple unveils App Accelerator for developers in Bengaluru

Giving its India growth strategy a fresh impetus, Apple on Friday announced the opening of its App Accelerator in Bengaluru that will provide specialised support for developers to build tools for the iOS platform.

Each week, Apple's team will guide developers to design best practices and refine their skills to create iOS apps.

"We are impressed by the great entrepreneurial spirit in India and are excited to provide a platform for these developers to share their innovations with customers around the world," said Philip Schiller, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple, in a statement.

The announcement came at a time when Apple app developers earned over $20 billion in 2016 -- up over 40 per cent from 2015 and several of those talented minds were from India.

According to an Apple India spokesperson, app developers from India are now creating amazing apps for its platform. "There are several app developers from India who are now part of the growing innovative community globally," the spokesperson had told IANS earlier.

The App Accelerator is now open to iOS developers in India through a sign-up process on the App Accelerator Bengaluru website.

"In just the first few weeks, we've already seen some incredible developers here at the App Accelerator Bengaluru, including Practo and Reliance Games, create innovative apps that can meet the needs of customers in India and around the world," added Schiller.

The first-of-its-kind facility will also provide support and guidance on Swift, Apple's powerful and intuitive programming language created to build apps for iOS, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

Swift enables developers to write safer, more reliable code, save time and create richer app experiences.

"Apple's commitment to the developer community through the opening of the App Accelerator is a tremendous investment in the future of India's digital economy," said Nasscom President R. Chandrashekhar.

The App Accelerator Bengaluru features Apple Technology Evangelistsa who will provide specialised briefings for over 500 developers every week.

They will also offer detailed app analysis feedback for developers as they work to enhance their apps.

"The Accelerator has really helped us make the best use of iOS technologies to rapidly digitise and improve the healthcare experience for millions of consumers in India," said Shashank ND, Founder & CEO of Practo.

Apple last year revealed plans for an iOS app design and development facility in Bengaluru.

Across India, Apple supports over 640,000 iOS app developer jobs and other positions related to the iOS ecosystem.

According to the company, purchases from the App Store topped $3 billion in December globally.

Available in 155 countries, the App Store offers 2.2 million apps in total, up over 20 per cent from last year.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, Apple will also begin assembling iPhone 6 and 6S models in Bengaluru in the next two months.

--IANS

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