There’s some good news coming the way of Apple fanatics in India! The tech giant announced today that it would be unveiling an Apple Store in India on the 23rd of September via online means. The online store will feature a slew of Apple products. While Apple products mostly sell online in India via Amazon and Flipkart, Bloomberg reported that the company was planning on establishing a unique store in time for Diwali. Furthermore, for the first time, the store will offer customers directly to clients throughout the country. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the announcement, and why Apple fans are excited.
Apple Online Store in India
Apple’s online store will go live on 23rd September and will offer its full range of products. The store will offer all clients the premium experience that clients around the world receive. The model will try to replicate the service delivered at Apple stores worldwide with the help of an experienced online team. Deirdre O’Brien, who serves as the VP of Apple Retail and People, said that the company is proud to be expanding in India. He also said that the team is looking forward to serving its Indian customers in the best way possible. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has left everyone relying heavily on technology, the company felt it was the right time to make the transition. Brien said that the team hopes bringing the Apple Store to India would help their customers during such a vital time.
Digital Transformation
The Apple online store will serve as a convenient one-stop shopping destination for all fans of the American tech company. The shop will have Apple Specialists in place to help customers with choosing the right products and explaining technical details. They will also help customers with configuring their devices and setting up newly bought ones to suit their requirements. The store will also help customers get advice, learn about new products, and receive guidance on a variety of matters in both Hindi and English.
Special Features
The Apple Store also features various financing and trade-in programs, helping make their products more affordable. For instance, students can shop for iPads and Macs at exceptional prices, and also receive discounts on AppleCare+ plans and other accessories. By October, clients can expect the store to start free Today at Apple sessions online. The sessions will be led by Creative Pros from local areas and will focus on music and photography. Also, the store will make gift wrapping options and personalized engraving available by the festive season. Engravings on AirPods will be available in the following languages;
- English
- Hindi
- Marathi
- Kannada
- Gujarati
- Bengali,
- Tamil
- Telugu
For engraving on the iPad and Apple Pencil, the language available will be English for now. To keep with modern requirements of health and safety regulations, the Apple team will enable contactless delivery for all services. Orders which do not need a signature to complete will be left at the door, while the ones that do will be completed via verbal confirmation. BlueDart will handle the delivery fulfillment within 24 to 72 hours of order placement by following all the required safety protocols.
Other Efforts and Investments
Apple has been a presence in India for over two decades now. The American tech giant has invested in creating and sustaining over 900,000 jobs across the country. Furthermore, Apple’s App Design and Development Accelerator provides frequent support to local developers in Bengaluru. Indian apps have become crucial now, with ones like AI-based Wysa helping provide mental wellness support to millions. Similarly, YogiFi has become quite popular due to its innovative use of computer vision to help with posture-correction. The app also makes use of Machine Learning to curate personalized yoga plans and programs, helping and encouraging people to stay fit during this pandemic.
While the COVID-19 threat looms over the country, Apple is doing all it can to provide local support to organizations promoting remote learning. It will be interesting to see how big a hit this store becomes as Indians will now get a taste of the exemplary Apple service for the first time. Also, with reports stating that the tech giant plans on unveiling physical stores in Mumbai and Bengaluru from next year, this will act as a test to see whether the idea holds true.
Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.