Apple delays opening of first-ever Apple Store in India because of COVID-19
Apple has confirmed to The Indian Express that it is delaying the opening of its first-ever Apple Store in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the Coronavirus outbreak during the first half of last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple was planning to open its doors to customers in India during 2021, with reports claiming the iPhone maker had secured a space in Mumbai’s Maker Maxity mall, located in the Bandra Kurla Complex.
In addition to Mumbai, Apple has been rumored to be considering additional store locations in New Delhi and Bengaluru.
Since Cook’s original announcement last year, the pandemic has seemingly thrown the plans off track. The store is now expected to open at some point during 2022.
Apple stepped up its retail efforts in India last year, expanding the official online Apple Store to bring its full range of products and support directly to customers across the country for the first time, cutting the reliance on Apple’s network of third-party sellers to handle sales and support in the country.
Apple is yet to officially share any details on its future store in India and if it will indeed be located in Mumbai’s Maker Maxity mall as rumored.