Ahead of marking a major expansion with the opening of the first two Apple retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his admiration for India's culture and energy. Cook said that “India has such a beautiful culture and an incredible energy, and we’re excited to build on our long-standing history — supporting our customers, investing in local communities, and working together to build a better future with innovations that serve humanity.” He said Apple's mission is to "enrich lives and empower people around the world".
Incorporated in India in 1996, the Cupertino Tech giant is celebrating over 25 years in India this week. Right from scaling manufacturing in India to new environmental initiatives and a key milestone in the rapidly growing community of Indian developers, India has emerged as a key focus market for Apple.
Make In India:
Apple began manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017, and since then, the company has worked with suppliers to assemble iPhone models and produce a growing number of components. Apple's partner suppliers in India include Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron, which are manufacturing iPhone 14 as older models. Although a small scale of just 5% of iPhones global supply is coming from India, if reports are to be believed, Apple is planning to take this number up to 25% by 2025 and 50% by 2027. And as per trade and industry data, Apple's iPhone exports have crossed $5 billion in FY23, increasing almost fourfold year-on-year. The company claims to have been working with Indian suppliers of all sizes and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country.
Also read: Apple's retail revolution comes to India: First store opens on April 18
App Ecosystem:
Apple says India’s vibrant community of app developers now supports more than 1 million jobs. A testament to the tremendous growth of developers in India, App Store payouts to developers in the country have more than tripled since 2018.
Even at the iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bengaluru, Apple works one-on-one with developers to help take their apps from good to great. Since 2017, the accelerator has hosted sessions for more than 15,000 developers, enabling them to build on their ideas and bring cutting-edge apps to the market.
Environment:
As part of Apple’s commitment to be 100 per cent carbon neutral for its supply chain and products by 2030, all active Indian manufacturing supply chain partners are committed to using 100 per cent clean energy for their Apple operations. Building on its work to expand recycled materials across its products, last week Apple announced it will use 100 per cent recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries by 2025.
The company even works with partners across India that are advancing critical work to protect the environment and expand access to education and employment, including the Akanksha Foundation, EnAble India, and Barefoot College International. Earlier this year, Apple announced a new effort in partnership with Frank Water to support improved water quality, sanitation, and hygiene outcomes in India.
Also read: Why Apple's entry into the Indian retail space has dealers worried
Education:
Last but not least, Apple recently launched educational programming in India focused on women’s health, as part of the company’s $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund, founded in 2022 to educate supplier employees on new skill development and rights awareness, and other learning opportunities.
Also read: What caused the delay in the launch of Apple Store in India?
Also read: Inside Apple's first retail store in India: A visual treat and a game-changer