Tim Cook Starts India Trip With Temple Visit and Meetings in Mumbai

[AmPat]

After arriving in India from Beijing on late Tuesday night, Apple CEO Tim Cook started his five-day trip in the country with a pre-dawn visit to the famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai on Wednesday, according to The Indian Express. Cook was accompanied by newly promoted Apple India head Sanjay Kaul.

Tim Cook and Apple India head Sanjay Kaul, right (Image: The Indian Express)​

Cook proceeded to meet Anant Ambani, the son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, before holding business meetings with Vodafone India CEO Sunil Sood, Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry, and TCS CEO Natarajan Chandrasekaran, among others, at the luxurious Taj Mahal Hotel where he is staying in Mumbai.

Local media reports claim that Cook also has plans to have dinner with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan at his seaside home in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai, and meet Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.

Indian website Mid-Day reported that Cook will travel to Hyderabad, India on Thursday, where he is expected to formally announce a $25 million technology development center that will focus on Apple Maps development and house over 150 employees. The CEO is also expected to make stops in Bangalore and Delhi later this week.
Cook is reportedly scheduled to meet India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday before wrapping up his visit. The conversation may center upon the Indian government's recent decisions to approve single-branded Apple Stores, which could open within 18 months, but deny the sale of refurbished iPhones in the country.

Apple's market share in price-sensitive India remains less than 2 percent, but Cook believes the country provides a "really great opportunity" for growth after sales in the U.S. and China have slowed. Apple's revenue grew 56 percent in India last quarter, passing the $1 billion mark for the first time.

Earlier, Apple announced plans to establish a new iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bangalore.

Article Link: Tim Cook Starts India Trip With Temple Visit and Meetings in Mumbai

 

[CFreymarc]

Well, at least he's talking to the CEO of the world's richest company while people like you and me are here, peddling our own thoughts and opinions and you belittling Indians...... and sure, Nadella and Pichai et al are just working for food and shelter according to you. I can see that you're still stuck in the dark ages....

Cheers !
[doublepost=1463618261][/doublepost]

True, I believe every Indian IT worker dreams of being deployed in US and/or settling down there eventually.

And yes, I do understand that this 'ups' their chances of getting married but then isn't that true of everything in life ? Well heeled people or people perceived to be well heeled will always get the girl eg lottery winners etc.

So yes, while I agree with your observations, I believe that we are in danger of stereotyping Indians in general : just like some Indians in India upon seeing a Western lady, automatically assume that she's fair game due to her having no inhibitions and being ultra progressive (as per their mindset.)

Cheers !

Stereotypes exist for a reason. Assume everyone is malevolent no matter how hostel and uninviting their culture is, you are just compromising you own culture to influences of less merit.

 

[newdeal]

Yeah, the fact that she won the election just shows how bad the province has become. I think she'd win a majority if there were an election today, I don't know what it is about the Liberals. They have no platform or policy beyond "say whatever the idiots want to hear today", but the voters are so dumb it works.

Hudak had the last election in the bag until he turned the teachers unions and basically everyone related to a teacher as well against him. He made the fatal error, telling people the truth before he was elected. Wynne just lied, got the backing of the unions and then cut their throats after she was elected

 

[SeattleMoose]

I like to see this. China and India are BY FAR the two biggest markets in the world. Here are the most populous countries in the world.

1) China - 1.376B
2) India - 1.289B
3) U.S. - .323B
4) Indonesia - .258B
5) Brazil - .206B
6) Pakistan - .193B
7) Nigeria - .186B
8) Bangladesh - .160B
9) Russia - .146B
10) Japan - .126B

Not even close after 1) and 2).

 

[Toltepeceno]

Homosexuality is criminalized in India for up to ten years. So that either means he'll be arrested, or he just sold out for the rupee.

A hypocrite at best.

 

[KPandian1]

China and India are BY FAR the two biggest markets in the world. Here are the most populous countries in the world.
2) India - 1.289B
10) Japan - .126B .

Per capita investments wisdom rule these two nations. Apple is good in covering Japan. So, India is the best reward.

On top of the 3-4 hundred million middle class Indians willing to own an Apple phone for image sake, there is another 2-5 hundred million rich to richest ready to spend to establish and showcase their status!

Have you seen how they flaunt their gold jewellery?

Status is everything in India - Apple and German car makers are poised to be the best beneficiaries of this huge economy.

Chine is still more dictatorial and autocratic than India. India is still far from the free world, but decades ahead of China.

Apple stock holders are well placed.

 

[Toltepeceno]

Hudak had the last election in the bag until he turned the teachers unions and basically everyone related to a teacher as well against him. He made the fatal error, telling people the truth before he was elected. Wynne just lied, got the backing of the unions and then cut their throats after she was elected

So in other words politics as usual.
[doublepost=1463678507][/doublepost]

I like to see this. China and India are BY FAR the two biggest markets in the world. Here are the most populous countries in the world.

1) China - 1.376B
2) India - 1.289B

The problem is that the people that can actually afford apple products are in the very small upper percentage. The lower income, such as 8.00 an hour crowd, make more than those all the way up to the the smaller upper percentage and ipones cost more in those countries. Like I posted earlier, a base se is 525.00 in india. So in reality the population in the market for iphones is much smaller than one might think.

I think that's harder for people in the us to see as people in the us see iphones as a phone option and many other countries see them as a luxury item. 100.00+ phones are seen as phone options.

 

[KPandian1]

So there’s Tim (I don’t follow religion, but I’ll wear this dot on my head and smile if it means I’ll be able to make money here) Cook, meeting the greeting the locals in India.

Think of it as brilliant lipstick and makeup on your third date or prom. Hope flies high.

 

[manni]

Bandra is one of the wealthiest parts of Bombay - it will be unusual for Tim that he will be seeing a few people much richer than him - and of course many much poorer. He does look uncomfortable but I imagine India, and the craziness of Bombay in particular, is not at all his kind of place.

There's no need for all the sugar coating. He will be there trying to butter up some of the corrupt politicians and it probably needs doing but I do echo the comment of others wishing that he would put some energy into improving the products. Plus he will be dealing with ruthless men who will lie and cheat, let us hope he is prepared. Ultimately India defeated the British Empire so will consider Apple to be just a silly small company to rob from. People will forever more be arguing "would Steve Jobs have done that" but one thing we know is that for Jobs the product was key, always striving to make the best he could. And that is why people want to buy Apple products. How long that halo will last nobody can say; improving the products (and these days, services) really should be the priority over trips to Bombay.

And the hypocrisy is of course there that Cook joined in the hysterical, virtue-signalling media frenzy about the "injustice" of North Carolina laws saying men aren't allowed into women's bathrooms while he is happy to schmooze some very corrupt and nasty men running a country where homosexuals are sometimes really persecuted. (I think Westerners should read up on Modi's history - and indeed the violent sectarianism of the groups in Bombay who have forcibly tried to make English speakers use the Marathi name "Mumbai" before doing so - you might as well take orders from the KKK if you are going to call Bombay "Mumbai" in English.) Then again Cook gave a huge amount of money to a thuggish hip-hop singer with a history of violence against women - one of the times the "Steve Jobs would never have done this" crowd were right.

 

[KPandian1]

Middle class by what standards?

Money works world over on how it matters. Food, clothing and housing. India's middle class have a life-style that far exceeds the global purchasing power of dollar value. Then, they focus on what they can "bling". Apple products at home, or even better, ones they can "in your face" with an iPhone that is the latest!

That is status!

Much like buying a 220 mph capable car in the USA, and driving it to work, can't even afford a chauffeur, at 30-45 mph!

What percentage of the average driver needs a 3000 ton SUV to drive to work - same difference for wrist watch or mobile phone!

 

[Toltepeceno]

Money works world over on how it matters. Food, clothing and housing. India's middle class have a life-style that far exceeds the global purchasing power of dollar value. Then, they focus on what they can "bling". Apple products at home, or even better, ones they can "in your face" with an iPhone that is the latest!

That is status!

Much like buying a 220 mph capable car in the USA, and driving it to work, can't even afford a chauffeur, at 30-45 mph!

What percentage of the average driver needs a 3000 ton SUV to drive to work - same difference for wrist watch or mobile phone!

You are still missing the point. Their purchasing power may be more but their income is still far less than middle class in the us.

Again. " Lower middle is 298.374 us a month and upper middle is 1118.00 a month"

Again. An iphone costs more in india than in the us and a base se is 525.00 which is That's STILL two months pay for lower middle class in india.

In the US where lower middle is 42000. a year and 3500. a month that's over 8 iphones a month where they are 400.00 a month.

Upper middle in india is 1118.00 us a month and that would be a couple of base se iphones.

Upper middle in the us is over a 100.000 so you can figure out how many 400.00 iphones that is.

OK. The cost of living in india is 67%of what it is in the us. Take a look at the middle class indian income and note that it's FAR less than 67% less than their us counterparts. So a middle class person in india is FAR worse off than a middle class person in the us and paying more for an iphone.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=India

In fact a lot of middle class in india make less than someone in the us making 8.00 an hour and more than 67% at that.

Do you not get it? They are paying 67% less per dollar but making a whole lot less dollars.

Lets break it down even more.

Take someone making 8.00 an hour in the us. Wouldn't that be lower class? Yes, people under 42000 are lower class.

A person making minimum, 8.00 an hour, in the us

1280. us dollars a month. Not much else here.

Cost of living in India is 67.19% lower than in United States. That takes care of your difference in dollar value.

So someone making 422.40 us dollars a month in india would be the same as someone making 1280 a month in the us. Period.

Lower middle in india is 398.44 and that equals less than someone making 8.00 an hour.

Upper middle class in india is like someone making 1847. a month in the us if you add the 67% difference.

So in reality with dollar value difference and all upper middle class is the same as someone in the us making 15.00 an hour, something burger people want in the us. 15.00 an hour is about half way to middle class in the us.

Do you see? Middle class in india is lower class in the us even with the dollar value adjustment. I think a lot of people in the us have never lived outside of it.

 

[kdarling]

And the hypocrisy is of course there that Cook joined in the hysterical, virtue-signalling media frenzy about the "injustice" of North Carolina laws saying men aren't allowed into women's bathrooms while he is happy to schmooze some very corrupt and nasty men running a country where homosexuals are sometimes really persecuted. .

Not to mention that both China and India have spent decades murdering literally millions of both unborn and infant girls, just so they can keep having more boys.

 

[Abazigal]

Woke up this morning to the comments in this thread makes me glad someone like Tim Cook is in charge of Apple compared to the many whiners in this thread.

How a simple report about Apple's efforts to expand into India can degenerate into insults and hate-filled speeches about Asian communities.

I am leaving this thread, but I just felt that I had to say this.

What a load of crap and negativity the commenters here have become.

 

[Toltepeceno]

Woke up this morning to the comments in this thread makes me glad someone like Tim Cook is in charge of Apple compared to the many whiners in this thread.

How a simple report about Apple's efforts to expand into India can degenerate into insults and hate-filled speeches about Asian communities.

I am leaving this thread, but I just felt that I had to say this.

What a load of crap and negativity the commenters here have become.

Well, bye. Not everyone is going to only wave pom pom's for cook.

And the hypocrisy is of course there that Cook joined in the hysterical, virtue-signalling media frenzy about the "injustice" of North Carolina laws saying men aren't allowed into women's bathrooms while he is happy to schmooze some very corrupt and nasty men running a country where homosexuals are sometimes really persecuted. (I think Westerners should read up on Modi's history - and indeed the violent sectarianism of the groups in Bombay who have forcibly tried to make English speakers use the Marathi name "Mumbai" before doing so - you might as well take orders from the KKK if you are going to call Bombay "Mumbai" in English.) Then again Cook gave a huge amount of money to a thuggish hip-hop singer with a history of violence against women - one of the times the "Steve Jobs would never have done this" crowd were right.

My god, brilliant! You must not post here often.

There's no need for all the sugar coating. He will be there trying to butter up some of the corrupt politicians and it probably needs doing but I do echo the comment of others wishing that he would put some energy into improving the products. Plus he will be dealing with ruthless men who will lie and cheat, let us hope he is prepared. Ultimately India defeated the British Empire so will consider Apple to be just a silly small company to rob from. People will forever more be arguing "would Steve Jobs have done that" but one thing we know is that for Jobs the product was key, always striving to make the best he could. And that is why people want to buy Apple products. How long that halo will last nobody can say; improving the products (and these days, services) really should be the priority over trips to Bombay.

It sounds like a lot of places outside of the us and maybe europe.

People were down on walmart for bribing here in mexico, but that's the way it's done. If they did not bribe they would not have gotten in. Even at that a mexican has to own 51% of any company here, one reason there will never be apple stores here. Walmart, costco, home depot, etc. All went in with other businesses.

 

[FriednTested]

I get most of the itinerary but...dinner with SRK??? I guess he may become brand ambassador! I think Tim has gone Bollywood on us.

PLEASE NO!!!! Anyone but him!!!

 

[amegicfox]

Tim Cook is a selfish egomaniac and doesn't have a clue. He should stay in Cupertino working on new products and send a worldwide marketing person to peddle used iPhone to india. But he loves attention so much and he doesn't give a F---. Apple needs a new CEO

 

[Pilgrim1099]

Tim Cook is a selfish egomaniac and doesn't have a clue. He should stay in Cupertino working on new products and send a worldwide marketing person to peddle used iPhone to india. But he loves attention so much and he doesn't give a F---. Apple needs a new CEO

He should've been removed a long time ago when Nadella took over MS. Apple got outmaneuvered by this new line of thinking.

If he screws the pooch again this upcoming keynote or the next phone release, Apple is in for a long decline.

I think he's f---king around.

 

[Cole Slaw]

'Ole Tim is definately thinking long term in India.
According to this article, Tim says Apple will be in India for "hundreds of years".
That's some long term planning there.

 

[AgentAnonymous]

It is interesting watching the decline of Apple. These are the kinds of tell-tale signs that there really is no innovation left at Cupertino. All that is left is "untapped markets". Read the messaging from Cook over the past few years. He has virtually admitted that no innovation is forthcoming, and Apple's hopes really rest on developing markets. Will be fascinating to see how his tenure works itself out. I have a feeling that he will eventually become more despised to Apple fans than Sculley was.

Everyone crowing about the revenue growth under Cook should pay attention to this tidbit from Sculley:

"Sales at Apple increased from $800 million to $8 billion under Sculley's management, although many attribute his success to the fact that Sculley joined the company just when Steve Jobs' visions and Steve Wozniak's creations had become highly lucrative."

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sculley

This is what every neo-reactiony says. Just because Apple is providing for other markets too doesn't mean they are not innovating.

Fallacious reasoning from someone who is afraid of change.

 

[abhi182]

Again. " Lower middle is 298.374 us a month and upper middle is 1118.00 a month"

Again. An iphone costs more in india than in the us and a base se is 525.00 which is That's STILL two months pay for lower middle class in india.

You are missing one critical piece of the puzzle..
A person making the equivalent of $1000 a month in a Pune or Hyderabad would be left with a disposable income of over $600 a month after factoring in regular living expenses

+the fact that this person would typically be in the 21-28 demographic, single with no liabilities and easily willing to spend 100% of his disposable income for a month on what is considered a lifestyle product (am not factoring in cheap credit plans that are a dime-a-dozen on amazon (India), Flipkart and various brick & mortar chains)


+ the fact that the number of such people is fairly large and growing rapidly

vs someone making say $4000 in LA left with nearly the same in disposable income after rent/utilities/commute etc

Having said that, The target market for Apple nonetheless is currently smaller than what it is in the US but is a rapidly growing one rather than stagnant

On a lighter note, for a single guy in this demographic in India, its easily a worthwhile expense just so he can get a talking point with a female colleague he has been too shy to strike up a conversation with .. (I manage a fairly young and large team of this exact demographic in India and I am not kidding when I say this )

 

[Toltepeceno]

No, you are missing something.

First off. The upper middle class in india makes 1118.00 a month and the us counterparts 125000. a year (10,416 a month). So your 1000.00 figure only applies to the upper middle class that is being discussed, not the whole middle class. Do you really think someone making 1118.00 a month has more disposable income than someone in the us making 10,416 a month?

Second. The lower middle class makes 298.374 which is nowhere near that 1000.00 and their us counterparts make 42000 a year (3500.00 a month). Same here. Someone making 298.374 a month does not have more disposable than someone making 3500.00 a month here.
***********
Now, the figures you DID look at already take in consideration the *67%* less they pay in india compared to the us. Take a look at upper middle class.

Cost of living in India is **67.19%** lower than in United States and the following figures take that into consideration.

Upper middle class in india is the same as making 1847. a month in the us with upper middle in the us making 10,400 even after you figure in the 67% difference.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=India



SO. Even if you figure in the 67% difference upper middle class in india makes the equivalent of 1847. a month and upper middle in the us 10416. Nowhere near the same disposable income

You are missing one critical piece of the puzzle..
A person making the equivalent of $1000 a month in a Pune or Hyderabad would be left with a disposable income of over $600 a month after factoring in regular living expenses

+the fact that this person would typically be in the 21-28 demographic, single with no liabilities and easily willing to spend 100% of his disposable income for a month on what is considered a lifestyle product (am not factoring in cheap credit plans that are a dime-a-dozen on amazon (India), Flipkart and various brick & mortar chains)


+ the fact that the number of such people is fairly large and growing rapidly

vs someone making say $4000 in LA left with nearly the same in disposable income after rent/utilities/commute etc

Having said that, The target market for Apple nonetheless is currently smaller than what it is in the US but is a rapidly growing one rather than stagnant

On a lighter note, for a single guy in this demographic in India, its easily a worthwhile expense just so he can get a talking point with a female colleague he has been too shy to strike up a conversation with .. (I manage a fairly young and large team of this exact demographic in India and I am not kidding when I say this )

 

[abhi182]

ost of living in India is **67.19%** lower than in United States and the following figures take that into consideration.

Upper middle class in india is the same as making 1847. a month in the us with upper middle in the us making 10,400 even after you figure in the 67% difference.

Percentages on Numbeo is at best an abstraction ..
The numbers I have quoted are based on personal experience..

Having said that, I won't deny that the ability of a regular American to spend on niceties such as an iphone or macbook is far greater than the regular Indian guy

The only point I am trying to make is that the average income numbers for India in isolation would make it appear that it is a minuscule market for Apple.
The reality is far from that because of the the relatively smaller delta in the disposable income vs the larger delta in INR-USD converted absolute income..
Add the large size of the potential market and it makes for a interesting combination for Apple..

Apple hit a billion dollars in India revenues very recently, they could have been far ahead in the game had they taken on the competition early on
e.g. India revenues for Samsung @ $10 Billion or LG@ $4 billion which by any standards is big money.. Based on your Numbeo analysis, there is no way the Koreans could have been making so much .

A large Part of the issue with Apple was the pricing model as they were targeting a niche presence with higher margins vs their recent move to target volumes with lower margins

Historically, Apple prices in India were almost always at a significant premium over US prices - However, A large majority of their target market is well educated and more often than not does run a price comparison on the web to determine whether they are getting their money's worth (same way as you wouldn't probably buy a Samsung Galaxy S7 if it cost a $1000 in the US and $600 equivalent in India)

They have been making amends recently with the Macbook line now roughly at par with US prices ..
In fact my own macbook purchases over the last several years were made during personal/business visits to the US until the last one (rMB) which I purchased locally on Amazon India - I probably paid a 5% higher price but the instant gratification made it worth it.. Something I wouldn't have done if the difference was say 30%

 

[Toltepeceno]

Percentages on Numbeo is at best an abstraction ..
The numbers I have quoted are based on personal experience..

I at least posted stats and I have not seen you post anything to counter them.

Your anecdotal evidence has nothing to do with the point I made, if you go back through my posts you will see.

Several people have stated the huge market of the indian middle class, that is the point, but the point also is that Indian middle class is more like lower class in the us even taking in consideration the dollar value difference. Yes there is a target in india but its the upper class and maybe some upper middle class. Everyone making over 1118. Usd a month is upper class in india.

I know all about higher apple prices. Here in mexico a base se costs 525.00 the same as india. Other brands do not have the same markup apple does and that is why apple is not in competition. A 5.7" moto x style (pure in the us) is 472.00 us here so who is apple competing with? Certainy not entry level android that most buy. In India the moto x style starts at 312. Us dollars. VS 525 for an entry level tiny se. Why the markup with apple? US company but made in china like the others.

Markup and price are not exactly the point but certainly something that puts apple out of competition.

India and mexico are similar in many ways. Middle class here is closer to india than the us and upper class, as with india, starts below us middle class.

Only 6% of mexicans have apple products. That is why. I would be surprised if india passes that by much if at all. At this time anyway.

Lots of foreign companies coming to mexico as with india, the problem here at least is they pay like mexican companies.

Is they are pricing macbooks close there its at least a step in the right direction. The base macbook is 1500 usd here where its 1300 in the us.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

They said no! http://www.livemint.com/Companies/m...tback-in-push-to-open-retail-stores-in-I.html

 

[Toltepeceno]

They said no! http://www.livemint.com/Companies/m...tback-in-push-to-open-retail-stores-in-I.html

I have to agree that apple products are not cutting edge. Macs especially 1 and 2 processors behind.

It will never happen here in mexico either, foreign companies coming in have to become 51% mexican owned.