RSS
Email
SMS
Apple eyeing a retail tie-up with Reliance
(Rate this article)
Loading ...Email It!
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Retail is actively negotiating with the $19.3-billion Apple Inc of the US to bring its high-end Apple Store to India, reports Financial Express.
Japan is currently the only Asian country to have an Apple retail outlet and there are just 4 countries (UK, Japan, Canada and Italy) outside the US that have an exclusive Apple retail outlet.
Organised retail is taking great strides in India, with almost all the biggies in India joining the bandwagon.
According to a study conducted by CRISIL Research and Information Services, the organised retail industry in India is expected to grow 25-30 per cent annually and would triple in size from Rs35,000 crore in 2004-05 to Rs 109,000 crore ($24 billion) by 2010. According to me it makes great sense for one of the players to have an exclusive tie-up with a larger-than-life brand like Apple.
According to current limitations, given that an Apple Store is a single-brand retail outlet, Apple Inc can hold up to 51% equity in the venture in India.
Apple Stores are renowned for being hangouts for the Apple brand loyalists. Most of their stores are famous for the architectural magnificence and in-store design – which showcases Apple’s obsession for Design!
These stores currently carry all of Apples’ products – these include the revolutionary Mac range and iPod music players. And the complete range is going to see a mega addition with the Apple iPhone ready for launch on the 29th of June.
While the Apple iPod is unbelievably popular in the US and European markets, it still hasn’t reached its peak in the Indian market. Part of the reason lies in the unavailability of pieces and of course another reason is the considerable price difference.
The Apple iPod 1 GB shuffle retails at around Rs 5000-5600 here, while the same piece sells abroad in an Apple store for $79 (Rs 3300 appx). An Apple Store will definitely reduce this price difference.
BusinessWeek is reporting that not one, but two sources have told them that Apple plans to have 3 million iPhones ready for their launch on June 29th.
"Most analysts look for Apple to sell around 3 million units this year and 10 to 12 million in 2008, many figure that 20 million will move in 2009. Piper Jaffray Cos. analyst Gene Munster thinks Apple could sell more than 40 million iPhones in 2009."
The above figures definitely suggest that it would be smart move by Apple to tap one of the fastest growing Mobile markets in the world…and the sooner the better!
Via: Financial Express
Loading ...
you guys seem to have been bitten by the apple iphone bubble too
I think this article is supposed to be neutral and ur just supposed to convey the news correct.
then why is it that u call apple "according to you", a larger-than-life brand.arent u giving us ur point of view,which clearly i think is less interesting than the main article.
also,when the article says apple eying a tie-up with reliance retail, i obviously only want to read about apple's reasons perhaps for wanting to tie up and how the tie-up would both help reliance and apple, and that is something that has only been vaguely hinted at in the Business Week article.why reliance retail why not bharti or future group.give me the details.your point of view is of least importance.where is the transparency?
thank you
Hi Rohit,
Appreciate your comments. I have linked the news source (Financial Express), if you are interested in reading 'news'. Blogs are not meant to be substitutes for newspapers…and yes it is meant to have a personal touch and therefore i've included my point of view.
As to your question about why not Bharati or the future group….one would need to be an industry insider! I guess its reliance because the terms and conditions are favourable for apple! (H)
isnt this supposed to be a web advertising technology blog?
why have u guys mentioned about retail?
what has that got to do with the internet or mobile which u guys occasionally blog about?
u hav given details about the retail market but nothing has been mentioned about internet or mobile other than ur last line which says fastest growing mobile markets.
Apple is definitely technology and this post is definitely relevant to India…especially with the iphone launching soon. did you guys see the times of india today which said - shouldnt buy iphone from abroad if u are going to be using it in india, because apple are going to tie up with some provider even here….like at&t in the US and vodafone in europe.