Apple supports 1 million jobs in India, investing significantly to grow operations: VP

US tech major Apple supports 1 million jobs in the country directly and indirectly, and will invest significantly to develop its operations and engage with more local supplies, said Priya Balasubramaniam, Vice President of Product Operations, Apple.

Speaking at the Day 2 of the Bengaluru Tech Summit on November 18, Balasubramaniam said, “Today, Apple supports around 1 million jobs in India, from our own employees to the fast-growing iOS app economy to our work with supplier partners.” the App Store, she said, is filled with incredible apps developed in India, while the company’s app accelerator in Bengaluru provides guidance to thousands of iOS developers.

The company will also invest significantly in its supply chain and physical retail stores in the country.

“Apple has been operating in India for more than two decades, and in 2017, we began manufacturing iPhones at a facility here in Bengaluru. Since then, we've expanded that facility here and in Chennai, manufacturing several iPhone models for the domestic market and for export. Along with our supply chain, we are investing significantly in India to develop our operations, expand our reach and engage with more local suppliers,” Balasubramaniam said.

However, she did not quantify the investments the company is making in the country. Last year, Apple launched an online store offering its full range of products and services directly to customers across the country for the first time. “We are looking forward to expanding further the physical retail stores too,” she said.

Apple posted $83.4 billion in revenue for the fourth quarter ending September 2021. CEO Tim Cook during the earnings call last month said that the company doubled its India revenue during its fiscal 2021. Apple currently leads India's premium smartphone market (>Rs 30,000) with a 44 percent share and ultra-premium segment (> Rs 45,000) with a 74 percent share, according to Counterpoint Research.

The company’s manufacturing in India has achieved zero waste to landfill and its suppliers achieved zero waste certification in six months. “The nature of manufacturing is transforming at rapid speed. Countries around the world are on the cutting edge of this. And we know that India can also play a role in that transformation,” she said.

The company is currently piloting station monitoring with video machine learning (ML) in smart manufacturing. This will allow remote monitoring and control of production, increasing productivity resulting in faster resolution of technical issues.

“But for companies and countries to fully realize these benefits, they must ensure that a large part of the workforce can take part in this transformation. They need people with the skills for tomorrow, including AI ml, 3d printing, and robotics. They need a highly-skilled workforce and a commitment to lifelong learning,” she explained.