Apple’s much-delayed dreams of opening an official Apple Store in India may finally be close to coming true.
In Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s maiden budget speech, the minister announced the relaxation of laws concerning single brand stores. These rules stated that 30% of goods sold in these stores had to be sourced locally. However, it seems they may no longer apply.
Apple is ramping up its efforts to promote coding in India, one of its biggest untapped markets.
According to a new report, Apple is actively nurturing young talented coders in schools and colleges across India. These Apple Distinguished Schools teach curriculums based around Swift app development.
The iPhone 6s is still alive and well in some markets — one of which is India, where the 2015 flagship is now being manufactured.
Apple is using this to sell the handset to locals. India has become an increasingly important market for the company as smartphone growth in other areas slows to a crawl.
Whether Apple will ever open an official flagship retail store in India is the greatest “will they, won’t they” off-and-on relationship since Pam and Jim in The Office.
From the sound of things, things are back in the “it’s happening” category. According to a new report, Apple has finalized a short list of locations for its first Apple Store in the country.
A court in India has lifted its ban on popular video-sharing app TikTok, which resulted in it being temporarily booted from the Indian iOS and Google Play app stores.
The app was ordered removed after accusations that it encouraged pornography and could pose a danger to kids from sexual predators. However, the decision was overturned on Wednesday afer a plea from developers Beijing Bytedance Technology.
Update: Apple and Google have both removed TikTok as requested. While the app is no longer available for download, those who have previously downloaded it can continue using it.
TikTok, the popular — albeit controversial — Chinese video-sharing app, has run into problems in India. The country’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly asked Apple and Google to remove the app from their respective app stores.
The issue will be heard in the Supreme Court on April 22, but the app could potentially vanish from stores before then.
Foxconn will reportedly start building iPhone X-series handsets in India in July, a new report claims. Other newer handsets could also follow in the future.
The handsets will be built at the company’s 160-acre factory in Chennai. “The plans are to step up production capacity and diversify to even higher models going forward,” a source with knowledge of Foxconn’s plans is quoted as saying.
India is cutting the price of the iPhone XR by up to 22 percent in an attempt to boost sales.
Apple has long wanted to make meaningful inroads into India with its potential customer base of 1.3 billion people. However, this is the first time that it been willing to reduce the selling price of one of its latest iPhones in order to do so.
Apple is preparing an entry-level “iPhone XE” that will be introduced this fall, according to a sketchy new report.
The device is claimed to be an iPhone SE successor with huge improvements, including an edge-to-edge display and Face ID. It could also pack Apple’s latest A12 Bionic processor.
Foxconn is reportedly “within weeks” of starting trial production of the iPhone XS in India, Bloomberg reports.
Manufacturing will take place at a Foxconn factory in the southern city of Chennai. Rival manufacturer Wistron already makes the iPhone 6s, iPhone SE and — now — the iPhone 7 at its own facility in Bangalore.
Apple supplier Wistron has started manufacturing iPhone 7 handsets in India. This is the third model iPhone to be made in the country, following the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s.
“We are proud to be producing iPhone 7 in Bengaluru for our local customers, furthering our long-term commitment in India,” Apple told the Economic Times newspaper.
Apple is trying a new strategy to boost struggling iPhone sales in India, the world’s second largest country by population. Unfortunately, it’s one that’s going to make the base model iPhones even more expensive for the local population.
iPhone sales are down, especially in emerging markets. The reason is simple: Apple’s devices cost too darn much. And the solution is equally simple: Apple must make a new budget model. In short, it needs a successor to the iPhone SE to ensure short-term profits as well as long-term viability.
This device has to have a low, low price. Even if that means a phone so bare-bones that most Americans turn up their noses at it.
Apple is one step closer to manufacturing flagship iPhones in India for the first time.
India’s IT ministry today signed off on plans to build a local Wistron factory that is expected to produce the iPhone 8. It should make the device significantly more affordable to local consumers in the future.
A pair of unannounced iPad models have again appeared in a regulatory database ahead of their official unveiling.
The new slates, with model numbers A2124 and A2133, were first spilled by the Eurasian Economic Commission in late January. They are expected to arrive sometime this spring.
Apple has another potential problem in India: the sub-par repair options available for its products.
According to a new report, Apple’s authorized repair shops in the country are disappointing to say the least. That’s especially bad for a company which is well known for providing some of the best customer service around.
More and more Apple suppliers are considering building devices in India, and a new concession might make that possibility even more plausible.
According to a new report, India has deferred a plan which would have introduced tax on touch panel imports. These tariffs were supposed to be introduced in February, but have supposedly been delayed until at least April 2020. This follows lobbying from smartphone makers.
According to the Financial Times, Apple manufacturer Pegatron is planning to build new production lines in India, Vietnam and India. Pegatron accounts for around 30 percent of Apple’s assembly orders.
It follows on from news suggesting that fellow Apple supplier Foxconn is also considering production in India and Vietnam.
Apple is hoping to secure new tax incentives in India that will allow it to increase local iPhone production and export more devices to be sold in other countries.
The company has teamed up with other large names in the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) to propose a raise in export credits on smartphone shipments, as well as tariff cuts on imports of components and machinery.
The group argues that manufacturing growth cannot be sustained and accelerated without the changes.
Apple supplier Foxconn is reportedly showing more interest in manufacturing iPhones in India, a new report claims.
The move would reduce Apple’s reliance on China at a time in which turbulence in the Chinese market, both from customers and potentially trade tariffs, is causing headaches in Cupertino.
Turn-by-turn navigation in Apple Maps has expanded its reach to one of Apple’s most important markets. Users in India can finally take advantage of the feature when driving or walking.
Apple has also added the ability to book a cab through Uber or Ola from within the Maps app.
Wistron, one of Apple’s iPhone manufacturers, is ramping up its investment in India. According to a new report, the company has vastly increased its authorized capital expenditure in India to meet its future development plans.
This follows on from another recent report, suggesting that fellow manufacturer Foxconn is set to start building flagship iPhones in the country.
Apple is expanding iPhone manufacturing in India, including building its flagship handsets, a new report claims. This will supposedly be carried out at a Foxconn plant in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
To accommodate the new manufacturing lines, Foxconn will invest an additional $356 million to expand the factory. At present, it builds phones for Xiaomi at the plant.
Apple suppliers are already producing a limited number of iPhones in India, but Apple could be looking to ramp up this investment in the near future.
According to a new report, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu is set to meet with Apple execs at next month’s Davos conference to talk manufacturing.
Apple today made an anti-spam application developed by the Indian government available on that country’s version of its App Store. The software is designed to help prevent an avalanche of commercial phone calls and texts, but Apple had previously expressed concerns that it revealed too much information about users to the government.
The version of TRAI DND – Do Not Disturb just approved appears to deal with Apple’s concerns.