Apple retail stores to come up in Mumbai's BKC, Delhi's Saket: Report

Apple bought 20,000 sq ft space in BKC's Jio World Drive in 2019 and the first store is likely to open there

Tech giant Apple is expected to launch two retail stores in India, first in Mumbai and the second in New Delhi, around April, a report in the Indian Express (IE) said. The company may take a whole floor in a prime mall or a "large space" at a high-street location for its stores. These may be spread over 25,000 sq ft. 

The first store may come up in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and the second in Delhi's Saket, the report added. The company had taken 20,000 sq ft space in BKC-located Jio World Drive in 2019. However, the plan to launch a store got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"India has been on Apple's radar for over 10 years but recent political and economic changes in the country now make it possible for Apple to open its first store and begin selling and marketing their products to customers in this nation," analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies told IE. 

In India, Apple has been operating using third-party stores. These are unlike the flagship stores in New York and London. Customers can walk into these stores and buy the products. But additionally, the stores work to build relationships with loyal users. The stores, which are called "town squares", have people who specialise in tech and help the customers make a better choice. They also offer technical support. 

This is the company's latest push to improve its sales in India, where the iPhone is largely considered to be a luxury product. It has only a 5 per cent share of India's smartphone market, but is among the fastest-growing companies in the country. The research firm Canalys said Apple was the only leading vendor to grow by 8 per cent in the Indian market. Apple reached its highest Q3 market share in the country on the back of sales of the iPhone 13 and the newly launched iPhone 14 series.

India is not only a key player as a consumer but also as a producer. With Apple facing difficulties in China, where a large part of its manufacturing takes place, the company is looking to shift its base elsewhere. The company has already started producing the latest iPhone 14 in India.