Apple today announced that it’s launching its online store in India on Septemeber 23. The store will sell iPhones, iPads, and Macs in the country on its own, after years of making them available via third-party resellers.
Apart from selling its products, the company will also provide support for its devices online. The store will enable customers to trade in their older iPhones and get additional discounts towards their new purchases.
[Read: How to use iOS 14’s super-handy ‘back tap’ feature on your iPhone]
Apple is also bringing its AppleCare+ device insurance program, which provides two years of technical support and accidental damage cover, to India. People will be able to chat with support executives in Hindi and English.
Customers in the country will be able to make payments through credit cards, debit cards, UPI (Unified Payments Interface), and card-on-delivery as well.
CEO Tim Cook tweeted about the store launch after promising to launch it earlier this year.
We know how important it is for our customers to stay in touch with those they love and the world around them. We can’t wait to connect with our customers and expand support in India with the Apple Store online on September 23! ??https://t.co/UjR31jzEaY
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 18, 2020
“We’re proud to be expanding in India and want to do all we can to support our customers and their communities,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People. “We know our users are relying on technology to stay connected, engage in learning, and tap into their creativity, and by bringing the Apple Store online to India, we are offering our customers the very best of Apple at this important time.”
There’s no indication if having its own store will help reduce the prices of Apple Products in India, but it’ll increase availability and support for customers in the country.
The Cupertino-based company registered 78% growth in Q1 2020 in the Indian smartphone market, thanks to the iPhone 11. However, it holds less than 5% market share in India overall.
After introducing the online store in India, the company will start working on launching a physical store, reportedly set to launch in Mumbai next year.
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