Apple has finalized a short list of locations for its first retail store in India, reports Bloomberg, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the plans.” The article adds that the tech giant has narrowed its list down to several upscale sites in Mumbai, and plans to make a final decision in the next few weeks.
In 2017 it was reported that Apple wants to open premium retail stores at prime locations either in a mall or high street in New Delhi and Mumbai. The Indian stores, if/when realized, would be nearly double than that of its average global store size of 8,500 square feet and will be the biggest single brand electronics store in the country, nearly 7-10 times that of rival Samsung.
However, getting a foothold in India has been a challenge for Apple. The company has opened its retail stores in a number of countries around the world, but not in India. The country has restrictive real estate investment laws for foreign companies.
