Apple will open its online store before it opens brick and mortar locations, according to a report from the Economic Times.
Apple —which has had a difficult time gaining approval to open retail locations in the country because of India’s rules that require at least 30 percent of its product materials locally — recently opted to move forward with plans to produce the iPhone SE in India without waiting for the concessions it had been requesting from the Indian government.
Producing the iPhone SE in India means it can also be sold there “since the government allows companies to directly sell online models manufactured locally.” The company reportedly plans to start assembling the devices in Bengaluru by June and offer “value-added services such as laser engraving to personalize the handset, sell models or variants which are exclusive such as a dedicated model, color option or storage space” once the devices go on sale online, one source said.
