Apple To Open First Store In India Next Week

(RTTNews) - Apple Inc. is opening its first store in India, which is being considered as the new manufacturing base for the tech major, as well as its new growth market. The gadgets major has high hopes for the second most populous country in the world, with wider markets.

The iPhone maker announced its plans to open two new retail locations in India offering the latest Apple products, including the new iPhone 14. Apple BKC in India's financial capital Mumbai will be opened on April 18, and Apple Saket in Delhi, the country's political capital, on April 20.

Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is scheduled to be present during the store openings, Bloomberg reported.

These new retail locations in India will offer great new ways to browse, discover, and buy Apple products with exceptional service and experiences for customers.

The barricade for Apple Saket features a unique design that takes inspiration from Delhi's many gates, each signifying a new chapter to the city's storied past. The colorful artwork celebrates Apple's second store in India.

Beginning April 20, customers will be able to stop by to explore Apple's latest product lineup, find creative inspiration, and get personalized service and support from the store's team of Specialists, Creatives, and Geniuses.

In celebration of the first Apple Store opening in India, Apple BKC announced a special Today at Apple series, "Mumbai Rising", running between April 18 and May 25. These sessions will offer hands-on activities with Apple's products and services that celebrate the local community and culture in Mumbai.

Ahead of opening day, customers are invited to download custom Apple BKC and Apple Saket wallpapers, and specially curated playlists on Apple Music to move to the sounds of Mumbai and Delhi.

Apple, which assembles most of its iPhones in China, last year announced plans to shift some production of its flagship smartphone iPhone 14 from China to India amid continuing tensions between the US and China, along with the then prevailed COVID-19 issues.

Foxconn, Apple's key iPhone assembler, already manufactures iPhones at its Sriperumbudur factory on the outskirts of Chennai, India.

In March, Bloomberg reported that Foxconn plans to invest $700 million to set up a new iPhone plant in India's Karnataka state, which would create 100,000 jobs. Foxconn will build a new 300-acre facility in Bengaluru as part of its ongoing effort to pivot away from China.

In late March, Apple announced its plan to open its fifth retail store in South Korea. Apple opened its first store in South Korea in 2018.