Apple postpones plan to launch India online store: Report

Apple is said to have postponed plans to launch its online store in India. The Cupertino, California-based tech giant may now launch its online store in India during Q3 2020.

Apple was previously expected to launch its online store in India between January and March, after the government eased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regulations in August 2019.

The latest development is that Apple is still ‘working on logistics’ for its retail plans in India, reported TechCrunch.  While the retail plans are still under development, the report stated that Apple could launch its online store in India by Q3 2020.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, is likely to visit India between June and July to take stock of the India business, including expansion of its manufacturing plans, exports and rollout of both company-owned online and brick-and mortar Apple stores, the report quotes industry executives as saying.

The report also reveals that Apple’s first brick-and-mortar retail store would be opened in Mumbai, but is unlikely to open this year.

Currently, Apple sells its iPhone through third-party vendors and online platforms like Flipkart. The company’s India executives expressed disappointment at these online platforms offering massive discounts on the iPhone, MacBooks and other Apple products.

On January 28, Cook revealed Apple’s double-digit growth in India. iPhone shipments grew six percent in India during Q4 2019 compared to a 43 percent decline during the same quarter a year ago.