Apple to open new retail stores in India later this year, confirms CEO Tim Cook

India Today

02-05-2025

Apple has confirmed that its phase two retail expansion in India will officially kick off later this year with new stores expected to further its reach and connect with customers. Today, it has two physical stores, but soon four more will be added, bolstering its footprint and giving buyers more options to experience and buy a wide range of Apple devices from iPhone to Mac, Apple Watch and iPad.advertisementThe announcement came during Apple's fiscal Q2 2025 earnings call, where CEO Tim Cook highlighted the company's steadfast growth in global markets, including India.CEO Tim Cook confirms India retail expansion'We set a number of quarterly records in countries and regions across the world, including India,' Cook said. 'In retail, in addition to the two stores we opened during the quarter, we're also looking forward to a new retail store in the UAE, the arrival of the online store in Saudi Arabia, and new retail stores in India starting later this year.'
The launch was imminent. Though Apple has not shared the exact locations, we know that new Apple stores are in the pipeline for Pune, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Earlier this year, the company started hiring for these stores.advertisementApple's retail journey In India started with the online store - Apple Store Online - in 2020. The company doubled down on 'online' with the Apple Store app India edition in January 2024. The first wave of physical Apple Stores - where you can touch and feel the devices before buying - came in April 2023, beginning with Mumbai (BKC) and Delhi (Saket). Apple says the stores have received a phenomenal response.India becomes key iPhone manufacturing hub for the US marketApple and India seem inseparable at the moment. It's as if the stars have aligned. Beyond retail, Apple is also actively strengthening its manufacturing base and capabilities in the country. Cook has previously emphasised that Apple must make in India in order to stay competitive, a need that has only become stronger in the wake of growing uncertainty around tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, particularly on China.There have been reports that Apple was looking to move much of the iPhone manufacturing to India for US-bound shipments to offset the impact and keep prices from going up significantly. Those reports have now been confirmed to be true.'For the June quarter, we do expect the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. will have India as their country of origin,' Cook said.advertisementWhen asked about any potential impact the tariffs might have on prices - now and in the future - Cook said while the company was able to streamline everything properly and efficiently in this quarter, in the next quarter, there could be an additional burden of around $900 million if the current tariff regime remains unchanged. Whether Apple will absorb the cost or pass it on to the buyer remains unclear.Regardless, it is imperative that Apple moves quickly to diversify its manufacturing, reducing dependency on China which has been slapped by a tariff of a staggering 145 percent (in response, China has increased tariffs on American imports to 125 percent). Most Apple products for sale outside the US will continue to be made in China, Cook has reiterated, but iPhones and other devices meant for the US will be split between India and Vietnam, the latter serving as the country of origin for most iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and AirPods.As of 2025, Apple makes the entire iPhone 16 lineup locally, from the entry-level iPhone 16e to the high-end iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. It is almost certain that the upcoming iPhone 17 series will be made in India, too. Apple began manufacturing in India in 2017.Apple Q2 2025 resultsApple reported revenue of $95.4 billion, a 5 percent increase year over year, and earnings per share of $1.65, up 8 percent, in the second quarter ended March 29, 2025. Though the iPhone 16e, iPad Air and Mac refreshes launched recently were mentioned, Apple did not give any specific numbers reflecting how they have been performing. The company saw double-digit growth in Services, which refers to the suite of subscription-based and digital content offerings that it has beyond hardware. These include iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade and more. Apple's installed base of active devices also hit an 'all-time high' across all regions and product lines during the quarter.