Apple launched a dedicated Apple Store app in India on Friday, adding to its retail presence in the world’s most populous country as the iPhone maker seeks to tap into consumer demand. The app, available for download on India’s App Store, allows customers to buy Apple products directly while receiving personalized shopping recommendations, the company said in a statement. Through the app, users can also customize their Macs with a more powerful chip, extra memory or additional storage — features long sought after by Indian customers — and arrange for delivery or pickup of purchases. The move comes as Apple works to strengthen its foothold in India, where it plans to open its first physical stores in Mumbai and Delhi in 2023. The company plans to add four more stores in the tech hubs of Bengaluru, Pune and other parts of Delhi and Mumbai. (Apple is launching an online store in India in 2020.) “At Apple, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and we’re excited to introduce the Apple Store app to reach more users in India, deepening our connection,” said Karen Rasmussen, head Apple’s online store, in a statement. The app features a separate tab for products, personal recommendations and post-purchase support including online setup sessions with Apple specialists. Customers can also sign up for a free training session at a physical Apple store and learn about trade-in and financing options Apple too adding free engraving to devices such as AirPods and iPads in eight languages. India, the world’s second largest smartphone market, is slowly becoming a significant geography for Apple as it looks to expand its manufacturing base outside of China. The company began assembling iPhones in India in 2017 and has since expanded production through partners including Foxconn and the Indian conglomerate Tata.
Apple brings app Store to Indian market
