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Apple enters AR era

Priced at $3,499, Apple Vision Pro will be available early next year, beginning with the US…reports Asian Lite News

Apple on Monday took on Meta’s multi-billion dollar dream as the iPhone maker entered the era of augmented/virtual reality (AR-VR) by launching ‘Vision Pro’ headset that seamlessly blends digital world with the real one around us.

Priced at $3,499, Apple Vision Pro will be available early next year, beginning with the US.

Vision Pro introduces a fully three-dimensional user interface controlled by a user’s eyes, hands, and voice.

Featuring visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system, Vision Pro lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.

“Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before – with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations,” Cook added.

The design features an ultra-high-resolution display system that packs 23 million pixels across two displays, and custom Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design to ensure every experience feels like it’s taking place in front of the user’s eyes in real time.

With two ultra-high-resolution displays, Apple Vision Pro can transform any space into a personal movie theater with a screen that feels 100 feet wide and an advanced Spatial Audio system, according to the company.

Apple Vision Pro also features EyeSight, that helps users stay connected with those around them.

When a person approaches someone wearing Vision Pro, the device feels transparent – letting the user see them while also displaying the user’s eyes.

When a user is immersed in an environment or using an app, EyeSight gives visual cues to others about what the user is focused on.

“These groundbreaking innovations are powered by Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design,” said Apple.

M2 delivers unparalleled standalone performance, while the brand-new R1 chip processes input from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones to ensure that content feels like it is appearing right in front of the user’s eyes, in real time.

Apple.

Apple buys AR startup Mira

Apple has acquired augmented reality (AR) headset startup Mira for an undisclosed amount, as the company launched its $3,499 Vision Pro AR headset.

According to The Verge, Apple has hired at least 11 of Mira’s employees as part of the acquisition.

The report cited a private Instagram post by Mira CEO Ben Taft.

“Excited for Mira’s next chapter, at Apple. Seven year journey from dorm room to acquisition,” the post read.

Apple has confirmed the acquisition.

“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” the company said in a statement.

Based in Los Angeles and founded by Taft in 2016, Mira had been making AR headsets for customers including Universal Studios for attractions at its Nintendo World theme parks.

Jony Ive, Apple’s former product designer, was once an advisor to Mira, according to the report.

Apple has entered the era of augmented/virtual reality (AR-VR) by launching ‘Vision Pro’ headset that seamlessly blends the digital world with the real one around us.

Priced at $3,499, Apple Vision Pro will be available early next year, beginning with the US.

Vision Pro introduces a fully three-dimensional user interface controlled by a user’s eyes, hands, and voice.

Featuring visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system, Vision Pro lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space.

Apple Vision Pro also features EyeSight, that helps users stay connected with those around them.

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Russia blames US, Apple for hacking thousands of iPhones

Apple begins assembling new iPhone 14 at Foxconn facility in India

A Kremlin spokesperson stated that the government believed iPhones to be inherently unsafe….reports Asian Lite News

Without providing evidence, Russia’s Federal Security Service claimed on Monday that several thousand iPhones in the country had been compromised in a recently uncovered espionage operation that it attributed the US government, The Washington Post reported.

Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab claimed that the campaign had installed file-stealing malware on iPhones belonging to its staff that were running an outdated version of Apple’s mobile operating system. The firm added that it lacked sufficient proof to attribute the breaches to any particular government or organisation. According to Kaspersky, the infections started with an iMessage attachment without any user involvement, a vector similar to that employed by NSO Group, a vendor of Pegasus spyware, and rivals who sell to international government agencies.

A Kaspersky representative told The Washington Post that researchers were still investigating the effort and lacked sufficient technical proof to identify its source.

The Federal Security Service (FSB), however, asserted that the attack targeted thousands of people, including diplomats stationed there, that the United States was responsible, and that the vulnerability’s presence proved Apple had worked with US government hackers.

An Apple spokesperson while denying the charges said, “We have never worked with any government to insert a backdoor into any Apple product and never will,” according to The Washington Post.

Hacker. (File Photo: IANS)

A Kremlin spokesperson stated that the government believed iPhones to be inherently unsafe.

The foreign ministries of China and Israel did not reply to calls for comment after the FSB said that hacked diplomats were from those nations among others, according to The Washington Post.

No impacted devices, according to Kaspersky, were using an operating system that was more recent than iOS 15.7, which was replaced in September 2022. None of the impacted devices were also using Lockdown Mode, an optional setting that lessens the number of ways that iPhones can be attacked by limiting the functionality of iMessage, among other things.

A high-end government spying operation would more frequently exploit a zero-day vulnerability, which is an undiscovered defect that still affects software that is fully patched. International spying frequently targets the gadgets used by embassies and private security professionals.

The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence refused to provide any comment to The Washington Post.

Kaspersky did not divulge much that would have helped Apple determine what vulnerability was used, and it notified the firm just overnight, hours before the FSB revealed its findings.

The security company, which frequently collaborates with Russian law enforcement, did release a list of obscure websites that had been used to connect to the infected phones as well as technical indicators of penetration that consumers might use to examine their own devices, The Washington Post reported. (ANI)

ALSO READ: US to stop sharing some N-data with Russia

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Apple releases its classical music app on Android

Apple purchased the classical music streaming service Primephonic in 2021 and announced plans to launch a classical music app in the future…reports Asian Lite News

Apple Music Classical app is now available for Android users, which they can download from the Google Play Store.

Apple Music and Apple Music Classical are two separate iPhone apps. The key difference between the two apps is how Apple Music Classical handles metadata.

Apple Music and Apple Music Classical for Android now have the same distinctions, according to 9to5Mac. Users can gain access to Apple Music Classical by subscribing to Apple Music or Apple One.

The app includes ad-free classical music recordings with up to 192 kHz / 24-bit lossless audio, as well as thousands of recordings that support spatial audio.

There are currently over 5 million tracks and over 50 million data points with data attributes of 20,000+ composers, 115,000+ unique works, and 350,000+ movements available on the app.

Apple purchased the classical music streaming service Primephonic in 2021 and announced plans to launch a classical music app in the future.

Apple Music Classical first appeared on the iPhone in March this year.

Notably, the app’s Android release precedes the release of an optimised app for iPad and Mac.

Meanwhile, Apple has announced that it will be shutting down the ‘My Photo Stream’ service on July 26, meaning users who are still using this feature will need to migrate to iCloud Photos before that date.

My Photo Stream is a free service that uploads the last 30 days of images (up to 1,000) to iCloud, making them accessible on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and PC.

ALSO READ-Apple, Samsung lead global tab market

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Apple, Samsung lead global tab market

A woman passes by an ad for Galaxy S23 smartphones at a Samsung Electronics shop in Seocho, southern Seoul, in the April 7, 2023, file photo.(Yonhap/IANS)

While Samsung is facing a tougher race in the foldable segment, more competition also means a bigger and more creative ecosystem and wider market adoption…reports Asian Lite News

For the past few years, Samsung Electronics has been the dominant player in the global foldable smartphone market, where early tech adopters have lugged around small tablet-sized phones in exchange for creative dual screen use.

Now, the South Korean tech giant is facing its most serious competitor yet — Google.

The company unveiled the much-anticipated Pixel Fold, its first foldable smartphone, during its annual developer conference this week. The phone is available for preorder now and will begin shipping next month, Google said.

One of the biggest appeals of the $1,799 Pixel Fold is its thickness. It is slightly slimmer than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4: 12.1 millimeters versus 15.8 mm, reports Yonhap news agency.

Fitted with a 7.6-inch screen when open, the phone comes with the largest 4,821 mAh battery to date in a foldable, larger than Samsung’s 4,400 mAh battery. So it is, naturally, slightly heavier than Samsung’s phone: 283 grams versus 263 grams.

While Samsung is facing a tougher race in the foldable segment, more competition also means a bigger and more creative ecosystem and wider market adoption.

For its first foldable phone, Google optimised more than 50 of its own applications for Pixel Fold’s larger display. It also promised to continue its efforts on that front, as part of efforts to encourage other app developers to do the same.

Samsung aims to raise the portion of foldable phones, which were first introduced in 2019, to half of its total smartphone sales by 2025, and to make them another pillar of the company alongside the Galaxy S flagship series and a key category in the premium segment.

According to market researcher Canalys, Samsung accounted for approximately 77 percent of foldable phone shipments worldwide last year.

On September 4 last year, just a few days after the company unveiled its fourth-generation foldable phones, Samsung said a successful foldable phone needed two core elements — a flexible and foldable display and a strong hinge for folding and unfolding operations.

“Foldable phones are not just about the novel form factor and technological advancement,” Choi Won-joon, then head of the flagship product R&D team at Samsung’s mobile experience division, said during a press briefing in Berlin on the sidelines of Europe’s biggest tech show, IFA 2022.

“I believe we should give users unique and valuable experiences that they can’t get from any other smartphone,” he said.

“Making a more compact and lightweight hinge while not compromising its durability was a huge challenge,” he said, adding that Samsung developers were able to eventually come up with a completely new hinge system, called a spiral hinge, after some 20 failed attempts in the span of nearly a year.

Google’s hinge system allows the two screen halves to fold completely, leaving no small gap when closed. Google also said it has the most durable hinge, made of stainless steel, which has been tested up to 200,000 opens and closes.

According to the latest report released in March by the International Data Corporation (IDC), foldable phone shipments are expected to reach 21.4 million units this year, up more than 50 percent from a year ago, as consumers start to embrace the new form factor. By 2027, the figure could reach 48.1 million, it estimated, driven by “a healthy demand for this growing form factor.”

“A 10 percent decline in average selling price helped the market grow 75.5 percent in 2022, as foldable devices became more affordable in numerous markets,” it said, adding, “With new vendors and models joining the race this year, we expect the foldable market to be the one bright spot in 2023 with 50.5 percent growth, while the total smartphone market contracts 1.1 percent.”

Samsung said the release date for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has yet to be decided.

ALSO READ-Apple, Samsung lead global tablet market

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Business Tech Lite

Apple, Samsung lead global tablet market

Apple shipped 10.8 tablets with 35.2 per cent share in Q1, followed by Samsung at 23.1 per cent share and shipping 7.1 million units…reports Asian Lite News

 Apple, followed by Samsung, led the global tablet market in the first quarter of 2023, together making up nearly 58 per cent of the market even with the changing landscape post-pandemic, a report has shown.

Apple shipped 10.8 tablets with 35.2 per cent share in Q1, followed by Samsung at 23.1 per cent share and shipping 7.1 million units.

Huawei was third with 6.6 per cent share (2 million units), according to preliminary data from from the International Data Corporation (IDC).

Worldwide tablet shipments posted decline of 19.1 per cent (year-over-year) in the first quarter of 2023, reaching 30.7 million units.

The low shipment volume is now comparable to pre-pandemic levels. Shipment volume in 1Q23 was comparable to the 30.1 million units shipped in Q1 2019 and 31.6 million in Q1 2018.

“Tablet vendors entered the first quarter of 2023 with caution. As expected, both commercial and consumer volumes were low as macro environment remained uncertain throughout Q1,” said Anuroopa Nataraj, senior research analyst with IDC’s Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers.

According to the report, sell-in shipment in the first half of 2023 is expected to be low, with vendors focusing on clearing out their inventory before the launch of newer models.

Chromebook shipments also continued to contract in Q1 with shipments totalling 3.8 million units for a year-over-year decline of 31 per cent year over year.

“Despite the downturn in tablet shipments, there’s some reason for optimism as more vendors are paying attention to the space,” said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager.

“OnePlus’ recent launch and the upcoming Pixel Tablet from Google are clear signs that there’s appetite from the supply side,” he added.

Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung remain the most profitable brands, together capturing 96 per cent of global smartphone operating profits, a report showed on Friday.

Samsung replaced Apple as the top global smartphone player in Q1 2023, driven by its mid-tier A Series and the recently launched S23 series, according to Counterpoint Research.

Apple’s shipment decline (year-on-year) was the least among the top five brands as the company recorded its highest-ever Q1 share of 21 per cent.

Globally, the smartphone market faced further contraction in the March quarter with shipments declining by 14 per cent YoY and 7 per cent (on-quarter) to 280.2 million units in Q1 2023, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service.

“Smartphone shipments declined further in Q1 2023 following the weakest holiday-season quarter since 2013, as the slower-than-expected recovery in China was marred by alarming bank failures on both sides of the Atlantic further weakening consumer confidence in the face of unrelenting market volatility,” said senior analyst Harmeet Singh Walia.

Apple with 58 million unit shipments in Q1 managed to capture nearly half of all smartphone revenues.

Apple outperformed the market due to several factors.

Firstly, the stickiness of its ecosystem prevents its customers from choosing a cheaper smartphone even in times of economic difficulty.

“Secondly, with sustainability becoming a priority for many, not only has Apple captured nearly half of the secondary market, it is also attracting users who are willing to spend more for longer-lasting devices,” explained research director Jeff Fieldhack.

Thirdly, it is the preferred brand for Gen Z consumers in the West and is thereby positioning itself for sustained success.

The smartphone market as a whole, too, is likely to struggle for the next couple of quarters.

“Moreover, the recent decision by OPEC countries to cut oil production may lead to higher inflation rates, causing a reduction in consumers’ spending power. As a result, even if the decline in smartphone shipments stabilises, a significant recovery is unlikely before the year-end holiday quarter,” said research director Tarun Pathak.

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Apple CEO impressed by 5-year-old Indian coding prodigy

Cook’s amazement at Ranvir’s talent led to an invitation for him to attend the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June…reports Asian Lite News

Five-year-old Ranvir Sachdeva is a testament to India’s immense potential in the realm of technology and coding. As a Grade 1 student in New Delhi, he is already an Apple Swift programmer, showcasing his skills to Apple CEO Tim Cook during the launch of Apple’s Delhi store, Khalsa Vox reported.

Cook’s amazement at Ranvir’s talent led to an invitation for him to attend the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June. This story of a young Indian coder not only highlights the incredible potential of India’s youth but also emphasizes the importance of coding in education. Ranvir’s father, Gurjot Sachdeva, beamed with pride as he described his son’s exceptional abilities in mathematics and logic. He also noted that at just five years old, Ranvir is the youngest child in his class, where most students are 6-7 years old. This prodigious talent is a source of pride for not only Ranvir’s family but also the broader Indian community, Khalsa Vox reported.

Tim Cook has long advocated for the inclusion of coding in school curricula, stressing its importance as a “global language” that can empower students to create world-class products and solve real-life problems. He believes that coding should be introduced at an early age in schools worldwide, including in India.

Cook’s statement that “if you only learn one language in your life, make it this one” underlines the transformative potential of programming knowledge, Khalsa Vox reported.

To support young coders like Ranvir, Apple has taken significant steps to distribute powerful applications to schools and institutions throughout India. This effort complements the company’s commitment to empowering developers through its App Accelerator in Bengaluru.

Apple’s support for India’s budding programmers is exemplified by Jaskaran Singh and Jay Firke, both winners of Apple’s ‘2022 Swift Student Challenge.’

Cook’s emphasis on coding education resonates with the incredible potential of India’s youth, who stand poised to shape the global technology landscape. The story of Ranvir Sachdeva, a five-year-old coder who has captured the attention of Apple’s CEO, serves as an inspiration for Sikhs, Indians, and aspiring programmers everywhere, Khalsa Vox reported.

With proper education and support, India is well-positioned to become a forerunner of tech genius minds, leading the charge towards a more innovative and interconnected world. (ANI)

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Apple wins antitrust case against Epic Games

Apple.

“We respectfully disagree with the court’s ruling on the one remaining claim under state law and are considering further review,” it added…reports Asian Lite News

Apple has won the long-drawn antitrust court battle in the US against Fortnite maker Epic Games over its App Store policies.

The ruling is a major setback for Epic Games and other developers and could set precedent for further antitrust claims, according to reports.

The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld the district court’s earlier ruling related to Epic Games’ antitrust claims in favour of Apple, reports TechCrunch.

However, it also upheld the lower court’s judgment in favour of Epic under California’s Unfair Competition Law.

“Today’s decision reaffirms Apple’s resounding victory in this case, with nine of ten claims having been decided in Apple’s favour. For the second time in two years, a federal court has ruled that Apple abides by antitrust laws at the state and federal levels,” the tech giant said in a statement.

“We respectfully disagree with the court’s ruling on the one remaining claim under state law and are considering further review,” it added.

Tim Sweeney, Epic Games Founder and CEO, tweeted: “Lost another court verdict, climbed another mountain. The world has come a long way since 2020 when this journey began, with much progress achieved by many people in many nations around the world. And onward we go!”

Sweeney said that Apple prevailed at the 9th Circuit Court. “Though the court upheld the ruling that Apple’s restraints have aa substantial anticompetitive effect that harms consumers’, they found we didn’t prove our Sherman Act case,” he added.

“Fortunately, the court’s positive decision rejecting Apple’s anti-steering provisions frees iOS developers to send consumers to the web to do business with them directly there. We’re working on next steps,” he further posted.

Epic originally sued Apple in 2020, as Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store after the game maker intentionally violated the App Store terms over in-app purchases.

ALSO READ-Apple Inc makes strategic move in India

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India News Tech Lite

Apple Inc makes strategic move in India

Committed to growing, investing across the country: Cook tells PM Modi.(photo:Twitter)

Government sources said Apple has been praising the stability of India’s policy calling it “clearly impressive”…reports Asian Lite News

In a series of meetings with the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has expressed confidence about a long-term working relationship with India.

After the meeting with Prime Minister Modi, Tim Cook on Wednesday tweeted, “Thank you Prime Minister @narendramodi for the warm welcome. We share your vision of the positive impact technology can make on India’s future — from education and developers to manufacturing and the environment, we’re committed to growing and investing across the country.”

Prime Minister Modi also tweeted after the meeting saying, “An absolute delight to meet you, @tim_cook! Glad to exchange views on diverse topics and highlight the tech-powered transformations taking place in India.”

Government sources said Apple has been praising the stability of India’s policy calling it “clearly impressive”.

Viewing India as its long-term market, the iPhone manufacturer has expressed interest in expansion plans, including manufacturing the latest products.

Currently, the employment strength of Apple in India stands at 1 lakh. Sources said this is expected to go up to 2 lakh in the coming years.

In terms of the required skilled labour, the Union government stands committed to supplying the required manpower including providing customised requirements. It is in the public knowledge that Gati Shakti Vidyalaya is designing courses for manufacturers. The sources say that such a similar arrangement can also be made for Apple.

Tim Cook is currently in India for the launch of two Apple stores. The first was launched in Mumbai on Tuesday while the second retail store will be launched in Delhi on Thursday.

In another development, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also tweeted about his meeting with CEO Tim Cook.

Late Wednesday, the minister posted, “Met with @tim_cook, CEO, Apple. Discussed deepening Apple’s engagement in India across manufacturing, electronics exports, app economy, skilling, sustainability and job creation especially for women. Jointly charting a long-term and strong relationship.”

Minister of State for IT and Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar also met the tech giant’s CEO on Wednesday.

The MoS tweeted, “It was a delight to meet @tim_cook CEO, @Apple and his team to engage on Apple’s strategic and long-term partnership with and in India’s digital journey. We discussed deepening and broadening manufacturing, exports, skilling of youth, expanding app n innovation economy and job creation. #NewIndia #IndiaTechade @_DigitalIndia”.

Cook also met Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and discussed how to further boost local manufacturing and iPhone exports.

Apple logged a record over $5 billion in iPhone exports from India in FY23.

“It was a delight to meet @tim_cook CEO, @Apple and his team to engage on Apple’s strategic and long-term partnership with and in India’s digital journey,” the minister said in a tweet.

“We discussed deepening and broadening manufacturing, exports, skilling of youth, expanding app an innovation economy and job creation,” Chandrasekhar added.

Mobile phone exports rose from Rs 45,000 crore in FY22 to Rs 90,000 crore in FY23, surpassing the previous estimate of Rs 75,000 crore.

The outstanding performance of the performance-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for mobile phones serves as an inspiration for other electronic segments to emulate this success in increasing manufacturing and exports.

The Apple ecosystem in India has generated over one lakh new direct jobs in manufacturing in the last two years, according to Chandrashekhar.

“About 70 per cent of these are 19-24 year old women, who are starting their careers, acquiring skills and improving the ease of living for their families,” he added.

Apple began manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017, and since then, the company has worked with suppliers to assemble new iPhone models and produce a growing number of components.

Apple has always believed that education is the great equaliser for people and the tech giant will continue to expand education and skilling initiatives in India to connect more underprivileged kids to the mainstream, Cook said.

Returning to India after seven years to launch Apple’s first own-branded retail store here, Cook paid a visit to Sitaram Mill Compound municipal school in Lower Parel area in Mumbai where Apple has integrated iPads and Apple TVs into the classrooms.

The English medium BMC school is run by teachers and staff members who are part of The Akanksha Foundation, a non-profit organisation. The school currently has 470 students and 55 alumni, and each class has up to 40 students.

“Since the founding of the company, we’ve been very focused on education. It’s very deep in our DNA. The programmes like this really make my heart sing because we can see our products live in a learning environment,” Cook said.

ALSO READ-Tim Cook opens Apple’s first retail store in India

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Business India News

Tim Cook opens Apple’s first retail store in India

Cook came out from the Mumbai retail store and took selfies with the first Apple buyers who came in big numbers….reports Asian Lite News

An ‘excited’ Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday greeted a huge crowd of people and first customers amid desi drum beats as he opened the company’s first branded retail store in the country.

Cook came out from the Mumbai retail store and took selfies with the first Apple buyers who came in big numbers.

He welcomed customers at Apple BKC, located at Mumbai’s bustling Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) financial, arts, and entertainment district, at the Jio World Drive Mall.

The new Apple flagship retail stores in Mumbai, followed by one in New Delhi and backed by aggressive sales initiatives, will fuel Apple’s growth in the year ahead.

“Apple BKC is a reflection of Mumbai’s vibrant culture and brings together the best of Apple in a beautiful, welcoming space for connection and community,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail.

Apple BKC will offer a special Today at Apple series, ‘Mumbai Rising’, running from Tuesday through the summer.

Bringing visitors, local artists, and creatives together, these free sessions featuring Apple products and services will offer hands-on activities that celebrate the local community and culture.

Apple BKC is designed to be one of the most energy-efficient Apple Store locations in the world, with a dedicated solar array and zero reliance on fossil fuels for store operations.

The store is operationally carbon neutral, running on 100 percent renewable energy.

Each tile is made from 408 pieces of timber, forming 31 modules per tile with a total of 1,000 tiles that make up the ceiling.

There are over 450,000 individual timber elements, all of which were assembled in Delhi.

Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by two stone walls sourced from Rajasthan and a 14-meter-long stainless steel staircase connecting the ground level and the cantilevered mezzanine.

Apple BKC features more than 100 team members who collectively speak over 20 languages.

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Business India News Tech Lite

Apple’s first retail store goes live in India

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company is excited to build on its long-standing history in India, as it gears up to mark a major expansion with the opening of its first retail stores in the country…reports Asian Lite News

As it completes 25 years in India, Apple on Monday previewed its first own-branded retail store here that will serve as a dynamic space for customers. Next on the anvil is the second Apple retail store opening in New Delhi this week.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company is excited to build on its long-standing history in India, as it gears up to mark a major expansion with the opening of its first retail stores in the country.

“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,” said Cook who will inaugurate the retail stores in the country, a first for the tech giant which has doubled down on its India growth plans.

Located at Mumbai’s bustling Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) financial, arts, and entertainment district, Apple BKC — to be thrown open for public on Tuesday — will help customers explore company products and services, enjoy exceptional service, and learn how to get more out of their devices through free Today at Apple sessions.

“Apple BKC is a reflection of Mumbai’s vibrant culture and brings together the best of Apple in a beautiful, welcoming space for connection and community,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail.

Apple BKC will offer a special Today at Apple series, “Mumbai Rising,” running from Tuesday (April 18) through the summer.

Bringing visitors, local artists, and creatives together, these free sessions featuring Apple products and services will offer hands-on activities that celebrate the local community and culture.

Apple BKC is designed to be one of the most energy-efficient Apple Store locations in the world, with a dedicated solar array and zero reliance on fossil fuels for store operations.

The store is operationally carbon neutral, running on 100 percent renewable energy.

Each tile is made from 408 pieces of timber, forming 31 modules per tile with a total of 1,000 tiles that make up the ceiling.

There are over 450,000 individual timber elements, all of which were assembled in Delhi.

Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by two stone walls sourced from Rajasthan and a 14-meter-long stainless steel staircase connecting the ground level and the cantilevered mezzanine.

Apple BKC features more than 100 team members who collectively speak over 20 languages.

Apple’s first two retail stores in India will welcome customers from all over the country and around the world.

The new Apple flagship retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi, backed by aggressive sales initiatives, will fuel Apple’s growth in the year ahead, according to industry experts.

Apple began manufacturing iPhone in India in 2017, and since then, the company has worked with suppliers to assemble new iPhone models and produce a growing number of components.

Amid the local manufacturing push and an upcoming widespread retail store strategy, Apple shipped $7.5 billion worth iPhones and iPads in India in FY22-23, according to CMR data accessed by IANS.

In FY23, Apple shipped more than 7 million iPhones and half a million iPads in the country, registering a 28 per cent growth for iPhone shipments, according to initial estimates provided by market intelligence firm CMR.

As Apple doubles down on domestic manufacturing in India, the tech giant is likely to garner 6 per cent market share in FY23-34, with selling more than 8 million iPhones in the country in the period.

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