Apple Retail Stores Coming to India?

[kdarling]

The first year the iPhone was available in India, only about 50,000 were sold.

Things have improved a bit since then; now Apple ships about that many to India each quarter, but that's still nothing in a country with 900 million cell phone users. (Apple ships more than that to Norway or Belgium or Israel... countries with 1/100 the number of users.)

In mid 2011 Apple had less than 3% of the India smartphone market. At that moment, RIM still had 15%, Samsung 21%, and Nokia led with 46%.

Unless contracts with subsidies become popular in more places, Apple would benefit from having a much less expensive starter model for markets like India.

 

[aziatiklover]

It was rumored that Apple would open a retail store in Moscow (apparently even one of their VPs visited the site, I'm guessing VP of retail) but plans fell through and now it seems like they aren't going to. There have been reports that after seriously looking into it, just realized that it would be a difficult thing to do as corruption is quite a big problem.

well china is corrupted as much as russia I dint see why not. Since china has a bunch of apple store now.

 

[gnasher729]

But Apple will pay the bribes, it's a company after all, it doesn't run by any moral standards but on profits. I love apple, but it isn't the king of morality either [i have no proof of this, but I am just assuming ]

Apple would be breaking US law by bribing officials in India. Not going to happen. And what are the first three letters of "ASSuming"?

Unfortunately, Apple doesn't sell many low value products from . So, that creates a real problem. Apple could create recycling centers or something like that I suppose but they'd still have a hard time coming up with 30%. If Apple wants in, they will come up with something. Maybe Foxconn will open up a plant in India?

Simple. MBP doesn't cost $999. It costs $700, but you have to buy an India made case for $300.

 

[MrNomNoms]

That wouldn't work. The requirement is 30% of the value of the products being sold. From the article:

That could easily be addressed though - locally produced iPhone/iPod/Mac accessories such as cases, bags, etc. given that accessories are a pretty big money spinner as far as I see especially good when it comes to repeat purchases who want to keep themselves fashionably updated with the latest trends (a new case each year would be only a couple of dollars).

 

[johnhw]

The Philippines got the tech support center..

 

[coolspot18]

well china is corrupted as much as russia I dint see why not. Since china has a bunch of apple store now.

China has a corruption problem, but it's a lot less than Russia (75 vs 143 according to the Corruption Perception Index). In fact, China is less corrupted than India (slightly). In China they execute corruption officials, in Russia they elect them!

 

[needfx]

Three, to be exact. I live in Dallas. *badum-ching*

you are reaping what you planted (seeing that everybody has responded to your comment)

cheers

 

[sergey19]

well china is corrupted as much as russia I dint see why not. Since china has a bunch of apple store now.

China is not as corrupt as Russia.

On the Worldwide Corruption Perceptions Index, China ranks 75th, while Russia ranks 143rd (out of 182).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index#Rankings