Apple’s latest Q4 2024 earnings report highlights strong growth in India, fueled by record iPhone sales and upcoming AI-powered Apple Intelligence features. The company also announced plans to expand its retail footprint with four new Apple Stores in the country.
Despite missing Wall Street forecasts on revenue and earnings per share (EPS), Apple posted a 4% YoY revenue growth, reaching $124.3 billion. Meanwhile, the services segment hit an all-time high of $25 billion.
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, emphasized India’s growing importance for the company, citing double-digit growth in the country. Let’s take a closer look at Apple’s India-specific announcements.
1. Apple Intelligence Coming to India in April
Apple confirmed that its Apple Intelligence features will launch in India in April. These AI-powered capabilities will support English (India) as the default localized language, alongside support for other languages like French, German, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese.
Apple Intelligence is expected to enhance Siri, on-device generative AI tasks, and productivity features in apps like Mail, Messages, and Notes. However, it will be available only on newer devices with Apple’s latest M-series chips.
2. Apple to Open Four New Stores in India
Apple has announced plans to open four new Apple Stores in India, further expanding its retail presence. Currently, the company operates two stores—Apple BKC in Mumbai and Apple Saket in Delhi.
While the exact locations haven’t been disclosed, analysts predict that Apple may target cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune—key technology and business hubs in India.
3. iPhone Achieves Record Growth in India
Fueled by festive season sales and aggressive trade-in offers, Apple saw its highest-ever iPhone active install base in India during Q4 2024.
A Kantar survey revealed that the iPhone was the best-selling smartphone in India for the quarter. Meanwhile, a Canalys report indicated that Apple captured a 23% market share, making it the leader in smartphone shipments for Q4 2024.
4. Mac Adoption Rises Among Indian Enterprises
Apple is witnessing a surge in Mac adoption among Indian enterprises. Tim Cook highlighted that Zomato, a leading Indian food delivery company, deployed thousands of Mac computers in Q4 2024.
The new MacBook Pro and iMac models featuring Apple’s M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips were well-received, boosting adoption in enterprise settings. With more businesses switching to Macs, Apple is strengthening its presence in India’s corporate sector.
5. India’s Growth Potential: A Key Market for Apple
Despite Apple’s strong Q4 performance, its overall market share in India remains modest compared to rivals like Samsung and Xiaomi. However, Cook emphasized that India presents massive growth opportunities, being the second-largest smartphone market and third-largest PC market globally.
Apple is expanding its local manufacturing efforts, assembling iPhones in India through partners like Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron. This helps Apple reduce import costs and improve pricing competitiveness in the country.
What This Means for Apple’s Future in India
Apple’s Q4 2024 results reaffirm its long-term commitment to India. With strong iPhone sales, enterprise Mac adoption, and upcoming AI-powered features, Apple is positioning itself for continued growth in the country.
As Apple expands its retail presence, boosts local production, and enhances its AI ecosystem, India is set to become a key market in the company’s global strategy.
Would you upgrade to an Apple device with AI features? Let us know in the comments!
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