Despite the fact that COVID-19 has hit the global markets (and Apple’s sales) hard, it seems that iPhone shipments in India actually increased. Apple saw a massive 55% growth in iPhone shipments to India between January to February in 2020 as compared to the same time period in 2019.
Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, told IANS that while shipments increased in the first two months of 2020, they will “need to assess March and beyond for full impact of coronavirus.”
This massive increase in Apple’s market in India can be attributed to the iPhone 11 and XR, which are proving to be the more affordable option for the average Indian user looking to upgrade their old phones.
“Apple found favour with customers with its prudent pricing and refined channel strategies. In 2019, Apple’s shipments grew 17% (year-on-year), on the back of the successful iPhone 11 and the iPhone XR,” Ram said. Besides the company’s pricing strategies, a huge part of this increase in iPhone shipments in India was due to the fact that Apple was able to locally assemble the iPhone XR in Foxconn’s local unit in India.
And it’s not just the cheaper models—the uber-premium smartphone segment (priced ₹1 lakh and above) in India also grew 23%, created and led by Apple with its iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
Apple’s slowly but surely capturing the Indian market, which can’t be better news for us Apple fans looking for the same perks as Apple users in the US and Europe. We’re already looking forward to the opening of Apple Stores in India later this year, if all goes well!
I, for one, can’t wait for that day to come. What are you most excited to see when Apple finally enters the Indian market properly?
