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To Gain Foothold in India, Apple Plans To Open Stores, Offer Deals All Year Around, and Fix Services: Report (bloomberg.com)
Apple has long struggled to gain market share in India, the world's second largest smartphone market. But now, it apparently plans to change that. Before we get into it, here is some disclaimer: Rumors of Apple's intentions to improve its presence in India are nearly as old as Apple's existence. From Bloomberg: Instead of officially lowering its prices, Apple is in talks with retailers and banks to offer holiday deals all year round, according to people familiar with the plans. Those people say Apple is also asking some individual stores to more than quadruple sales targets, to 40 or 50 iPhones a week, and plans to cut off retailers that consistently fail to hit the mark. Retail sales staff will be trained to teach customers how to use their devices, and Apple intends to overhaul in-store branding and product displays. Executives would conduct daily conference calls with stores to gauge progress.
Apple hopes to start opening stores in India next year and eventually set up three in New Delhi, Bengaluru (formerly known as Bangalore), and Mumbai, according to the people familiar with the company's plans. The government has long required foreign companies opening shops to manufacture 30 percent of their products locally, but it said in January that businesses can reduce that requirement by sourcing more Indian goods for their global operations. Apple now builds some of its India-aimed iPhone SE and 6s models in Bengaluru; it's unclear whether the company plans to take advantage of the revised policy or try to hit the 30 percent mark. The report adds that Apple has India in its mind as it revamps many of its services.
Apple hopes to start opening stores in India next year and eventually set up three in New Delhi, Bengaluru (formerly known as Bangalore), and Mumbai, according to the people familiar with the company's plans. The government has long required foreign companies opening shops to manufacture 30 percent of their products locally, but it said in January that businesses can reduce that requirement by sourcing more Indian goods for their global operations. Apple now builds some of its India-aimed iPhone SE and 6s models in Bengaluru; it's unclear whether the company plans to take advantage of the revised policy or try to hit the 30 percent mark. The report adds that Apple has India in its mind as it revamps many of its services.
Ya know, India is one of those places where people need the stuff they buy first and foremost to accomplish something, not as a fashion statement. It's kinda very "western" to have money to squander on "ohh, shiny!".
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Because when all you have is $1670 a year (median income), then surely, we can expect everyone to invest a $1000 for the privilege to whore off all their biometric data to a bunch of psychopaths, using a shiny trinket that contains electronics more as a second thought than as a function. --.--
I hope they try, and lose a fuckton of their imaginary money in the process.
Apple is the largest most valued company in the world, not because they have the best products or most customers, but because they have the most shrewd and aggressive business tactics.
This is a stark contrast in India, a relatively poor country still emerging on the world economy.
It's disgusting to think that this is where Apple set their sights, to sell their luxury phones at $800 -- $200 for hardware and $600 for Apple logotype, and similar pricing.
Apple knows there's a "gotta have it" mentality about their stupid products, and when they start marketing that to a poor population...
American greed and capitalism at its finest.
You are all wrong. As much I want apple to crash and burn, Indians (living in India) love it and consider it as status symbol (dont ask me why, damned if I know) Median income is not a good metric, on average someone IT need to save 2-6 months salary to get new iphone and many are stupid enough to do just that, and we have lot of people in IT.
It's a cultural thing. For centuries, Indians have aspired to have a lot of jewelry. Families pass on these jewelries down the line. Whenever they gather for an Indian wedding or something, you will see them wearing a ton of it. It's a matter of pride for them. Smartphones, as someone pointed out above, is not that. It's a commodity for Indians. Most of them don't see a point in getting the latest iPhone feature. They want a phone to keep in touch with their family and friends, and mostly, to colleagues. Sure, not everyone is cut out with the same cloth. There are more than 1.3 billion people in India. Most of them earn under $1,600 in a year. They buy a phone and put a cover on it, a tempered glass and everything so that it can last for more than at least two years. In general, Indians are also very price sensitive. So it is not uncommon to find a businessman who makes thousands of dollars each month to use an iPhone 5s.
US and EU have an ample supply of used iPhones for more thrifty consumers. India does not welcome used devices. While Apple may covet the large growing India consumers , Apple does not want to cannibalize its lucrative high tier models outside India either, so the market share will be slow developing.
Since you posted something on Slashdot, the logical course of action would be to start with yourself.
#DeleteFacebook
Ya know, India is one of those places where people need the stuff they buy first and foremost to accomplish something, not as a fashion statement.
While I've never spent time in India I have spent a lot of time working with people from India and in my experience they are no more or less fashion conscious than any other group of people. I've met plenty of Indians who are as vain as any westerners. I don't buy the argument that Indians aren't fashion conscious. The problem is that there are a LOT of poor people in India who don't have vast sums to spend on a luxury smartphone like the ones Apple sells. Indian's have a (probably deserved) reputation for being cheap in the sense of thrifty but that doesn't mean they don't spend money on bling or aren't interested in it.
It's kinda very "western" to have money to squander on "ohh, shiny!".
Hogwash. I've traveled all over the world and there is no culture I've ever seen where there isn't a strong faction of people who squander money on "ohh, shiny". We're just not all that different. How our materialism manifests varies from place to place but it's still omnipresent.