Why is Apple’s September 9 launch event special for its India strategy?

Apple is gearing up for the all-new iPhone 17 launch event on September 9. The launch may be in Cupertino, but this year, India will be in the spotlight for the consumer electronics giant.

This excitement for the Indian market is evident in a Friday post by Apple CEO Tim Cook, announcing the launch of two Apple stores in India—Bengaluru and Pune.

“Say hello to Apple Hebbal in Bengaluru and Apple Koregaon Park in Pune! We are thrilled to continue to bring the best of Apple to customers across India at these two new stores,” he wrote on X.

The latest store openings bring Apple’s total retail presence in India to four since its debut in 2023. In the past, Cook has revealed that India is the company’s fastest-growing market.

Navkendar Singh, AVP, International Data Corporation, told Fortune India that Apple is expected to become one of the top five smartphone makers in India by the end of this year. And the latest iPhone lineup launch may give a further boost to the brand’s positioning in India.

“Apple is almost two-thirds or three-fifths of the premium and super premium market, and Samsung is the second. Apple is the only one [smartphone maker in the Indian market] which is growing at three times the average selling price of the market and doing phenomenally well. There is a real chance that Apple enters the Top 5 by the end of this year,” Singh adds.

Following last year’s launch of the iPhone 16 series, Apple has posted strong shipment growth in India, outpacing rival smartphone makers. According to August data from IDC, shipments rose 21.5% year-on-year to 5.9 million units in the first half of 2025, as iPhone 16 emerged as the top-shipped model nationwide during the period, accounting for 4% of total smartphone shipments.

This underscores the vast growth potential India holds for Apple, with the iPhone 17 series expected to play a key role in tapping into it.

Further, a recent Bloomberg report showed Apple’s sales in the country touched a record $9 billion in FY25, a 13% jump from $8 billion the previous year, fuelled primarily by strong iPhone demand and rising MacBook sales.

How did a premium Apple win in a price-conscious India market?

India has undergone a significant mindset shift over the last few years, driven by economic growth and rising disposable incomes. Furthermore, the growing aspiration among younger professionals for premium products has helped Apple find its sweet spot in India.

Coupled with this is the tech major’s tailored go-to-market strategy for India. Unlike Google, the company has prioritised building a strong offline presence across key metros. Its recent store launches in Bengaluru and Pune highlight its focus on strengthening sales for all its Apple products, including MacBooks, rather than just iPhones. This paves the way for diversification of revenue and deeper penetration into the Indian market.

Another factor working in its favour has been its tie-ups with local lenders. These initiatives have enabled easy EMIs, trade-ins, and student discounts, helping the company tap into India’s middle class while retaining its premium positioning—an approach that rivals like Samsung were slower to adopt.