Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO said the energy, creativity, and passion in Mumbai are incredible as the company opened its first store in India. Cook disclosed this via a tweet after officially launching Apple BKC in Mumbai – the first Apple Store in India.
Recall that Apple recently confirmed that it will be opening its first store in the country today. And according to the firm, the location in India is one of the company’s most sustainable stores yet, offering special Apple sessions, featuring local artists and creatives, with a team of more than 100 ready to provide exceptional service for customers.
“At Apple, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and our teams are excited to celebrate this wonderful moment with them as we open our first retail store in India,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail. “Apple BKC is a reflection of Mumbai’s vibrant culture and brings together the best of Apple in a beautiful, welcoming space for connection and community.”
Apple BKC – Apple’s First Store in India
The new flagship store is located in Mumbai, the nation’s financial capital, at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, with the name “Apple BKC”. With a dedicated solar array and no reliance on fossil fuels for store operations, Apple claims it is one of the world’s most energy-efficient Apple Store locations. The store uses only renewable energy, making its operations carbon neutral.
The store opening is the result of Apple’s consistent efforts to satisfy regulators’ requirements, which included producing some of its goods locally. On Thursday, Apple will open a new location in New Delhi, the nation’s capital, and Cook is expected to be there. During his tour, Cook is also anticipated to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Apple CEO is visiting India for the first time in seven years.
Apple’s Sales in India
Up until this point, Apple devices were only offered for purchase in India online, through a regional Apple website, or a network of resellers. The physical stores would provide a premium shopping experience in a nation where the premium smartphone market is comparatively undeveloped, in addition to adding cachet to the Apple brand. Nearly 700 million Indians use smartphones, yet only 4% of them are iPhone users; the vast majority use inexpensive Android devices.
In the year ending in March, Apple’s sales in India reached a new record of approximately $6 billion. According to a source with knowledge of the situation quoted by Bloomberg, revenue in India increased from $4.1 billion a year earlier by almost 50%.
India, which has the second-largest smartphone market in the world, has been the focus of Apple’s efforts to develop a manufacturing supply chain there. In the weeks after the iPhone 14’s introduction, Apple switched iPhone 14 assembly from China to India, a sign of the nation’s acknowledged significance as a production base.
