Apple CEO Tim Cook says Apple putting “a significant amount of energy” in India

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said he is “very bullish on India” as the company prepares to open its first retail store in the country later this year, saying the iPhone maker is putting “a significant amount of energy” in India as it pushes to grow its retail devision and manufacturing efforts in the country.

Speaking on a live audio stream following Apple announcing lacklustre financial results for its fiscal 2023 first quarter on Thursday, which saw the iPhone maker post quarterly revenue of $117.2 billion, down 5 percent year over year, marking the first year-over-year sales decline for the company since 2019, Cook said “I’m very bullish on India,” adding that Apple did “fairly well through COVID” and is putting “a significant amount of energy” into the country.

Apple stepped up its retail efforts in India in 2020, 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 preparing for the opening of its first retail stores in India this year, with hiring underway in both Mumbai and New Delhi for new locations expected to be announced in the coming months.