Apple products enjoy unparalleled brand loyalty. However, the company is still struggling to make its mark in the Indian market. Apple is trying to increase its sales in India by offering attractive discounts on models like iPhone XR and also the iPhone 11. The company is partnering with financial institutions and has introduced new payment plans. Experts believe that Apple 2020 can be Apple’s strongest year in India.

Apple recovered in the Indian market in 2019 after a sharp decline in 2018. 2020 is going to be important, as this is the year when Apple has the strongest-ever portfolio — iPhone XR, iPhone 11 and iPhone 8 — that will be very relevant for the growing Indian market. There is also a lot of speculation about iPhone SE2 coming this year-arun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research.

The preconceived notion is that the older generation iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch are preferred in India. However, the experts believe that newer Mac, AirPods and other Apple products are also seeing greater adoption in the country. It is worth noting that Apple assembled iPhone SE, iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 at the Wistron facility located in Bengaluru, India. Furthermore, the company is also manufacturing iPhone XR in Foxconn’s facility located at Sriperumbudur India.

Our Take

Apple is striving hard to increase its presence in a price-sensitive market like India. As part of this plan, Apple is setting up its flagship stores in India. Localized manufacturing and assembly should help Apple save taxes, a benefit that can eventually be passed on to consumers. Apple fared well in the third quarter last year with a staggering 51.3 percent share in the premium smartphone market (Rs35,000/$487 and above.) We feel that Apple should concentrate on lowering the entry barrier and launch more iPhones in the sub Rs 50K ($700) price bracket.

Do you think Apple products are exorbitantly priced in India? Let us know what you think in the comments below.