India to get its first official Apple Store by 2021

The Indian smartphone market has been, for the most part, dominated by Chinese OEMs such as Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and their subsidiaries. Android is the most widely used platform due to efforts by these companies earlier to release low-cost devices in the market. While India does have its fair share of Apple users, the subcontinent lacks one of the critical components of the quintessential Apple experience- the Apple Store.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a meeting with investors that the company is planning on opening its first Apple Store in India by 2021. It will likely be in one of the five metropolitan cities, as that is where most Apple users are concentrated. Apple will, of course, require a nod from the Indian government before proceeding with its plans. Indian regulation doesn't make it easy for businesses based outside the country to set shop very easily, so it'll be interesting to see what Apple has in mind to get around that.

The primary reason why Apple doesn't have many takers in India is because of its prohibitively priced offerings. However, the company's recent price revision for the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR for the Indian market attracted a lot of users to the platform. There is also very little competition in the premium (above $500) segment. Apple has a real shot at finally establishing its foothold in the world's second-largest smartphone market.