A lot of American companies have made the jump to India and have been successful, but Apple was not one of them. Are you wondering why Apple failed in India?
Well, I have been looking into what caused this and have found several reasons, so keep reading to find out just what went wrong for Apple in India!
Why Apple Isn’t Present in India?
1. Expensive Prices for Products
One of the main reasons why Apple failed in India was because it was incredibly expensive to purchase products from Apple.
The price of a product is a huge factor in whether someone in India makes a purchase, so the more expensive it is, the fewer people will buy it.
For example, in India, the cheapest device was the iPhone 7 at $550 USD, which wasn’t affordable for most Indian residents.
2. Apple Was Manufacturing Older Smartphones
Apple manufacturing older smartphones in India was a huge reason why Apple failed in India.
This is because older smartphones such as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6 are no longer popular.
Also, people in India know about the newest iPhones and want those.
Therefore, Apple manufacturing these old smartphones was a disappointment to consumers who want current devices and software.
3. Indian Apps Aren’t Compatible With Apple
Another issue with Apple in India was that Apple didn’t have compatibility with the apps in the country, which has to do with Apple not wanting the TRAI app on its iPhone.
TRAI is an agency that regulates all the telecoms within India, and without TRAI on the iPhone, it’s almost impossible to have success within the country.
4. Siri & Other Apple Apps Aren’t Recognizing India’s Culture
A major issue plaguing Apple in India was that various apps such as Siri couldn’t recognize the names of people in India; it had a hard time understanding the accent when spoken to.
In addition, Apple Maps couldn’t recognize the geography in India and didn’t provide search results or driving directions to locations within the country.
Overall, without Apple being set up to understand India, whether it’s the accent, geography, driving directions, or common Indian names, it’s hard to build a following in the country.
5. Chinese Smartphone Rivals Own the Market
Price is a huge factor in India, which is where Chinese rivals such as Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi shine.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult for Apple to break through this market due to the expense of their products.
For example, Xiaomi owns about a 27% share of the smartphone market in India, with Samsung owning about a 22% market share.
Consequently, with Apple prices so high and budget smartphone companies such as Oppo, Lenovo, and Motorola leading the way, it’s hard for Apple to compete.
6. No Physical Apple Store
India never had a physical Apple Store, which makes it almost impossible for someone to go in and get their Apple device repaired, and that severely hindered Apple’s growth in India.
Also, Apple had managed to build stores in nearly every developed country, which helps bring in customers.
However, in India that didn’t happen, and that led to less enthusiasm for its products.
7. iPhone Battery Life Is Too Short
In America, the battery life of a device doesn’t matter too much, since Americans are seemingly around power outlets all the time. However, that’s not the case in India.
To illustrate, most people in India spend either hours in traffic or hours working in locations where outlets aren’t available.
Therefore, the battery life of their smartphone matters significantly.
Overall, when compared with other brands, a lot of people in India feel that the iPhone battery is too short for their lifestyle and culture.
8. iPhone Specifications Are Weak for the Price
Since Apple was selling older smartphones in India, the specifications on the devices were weak, especially when the iPhone sold for much higher prices than other brands.
Consequently, if someone in India could purchase a flagship device from Xiaomi with the same specifications as the iPhone for less than half the price, that’s what they will do.
9. Too Much Turnover in Management
There were more than three general managers for Apple in India.
This much turnover hurt Apple because the company couldn’t keep a strategy and follow through on goals.
To know more, you can also read our posts on how does Apple makes money, Apple Pay, and is Apple a Chinese company.
Conclusion
Apple failed in India because it charged significantly higher prices for the iPhone than other companies such as Samsung, Xiaomi, and even Oppo. Also, the Apple apps weren’t compatible with India’s culture, with Siri unable to understand the Indian accent.
As well, Apple Maps couldn’t provide driving directions or recognize names. Therefore, a lot of people in India were disappointed in what Apple provided for the price, including the specs, and without a physical Apple Store, it made it even less attractive.
