For Apple, the Indian market offers significant opportunities for first-time customers transitioning to iOS from other platforms, and this is why the tech giant is focused here on creating a secure ambience for this transition. “That personal setup is especially important for people who are switching to iOS. They need to feel secure and safe – and we’re here to make sure they do,” Wendy Beckman, VP of Apple Retail, told indianexpress.com on the sidelines of the launch of the third Apple Store in India at Hebbal in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Apple Hebbal, which is launching a day before the store in Pune at Koregaon Park, highlights the growing significance of India in Apple’s global strategy. Apple’s retail strategy is based on comprehensive customer support across touchpoints. “Customers are at the centre of everything we do,” Beckman explained, adding, “With Today at Apple sessions, our business teams, and the Genius Bar, we’re able to meet a wide range of customer needs and support them in a unique, comfortable way.”
This approach also recognises that Apple stores essentially function as community hubs where discovery, learning, and creativity outweigh traditional retail transactions. The new store in Bengaluru represents this ethos by offering spaces for customers to explore and engage with Apple’s product ecosystem, upholstered by the support of its trained specialists.
The facade of Apple Hebbal store in Phoenix Mall Of Asia. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)
iOS migration and Continuity
Apple acknowledges that many Indian consumers may be encountering its products for the first time. The retail environment serves as what Beckman described as “a really good introduction to the ecosystem and everything with our products too.” The store provides hands-on experiences where “people can play and have the ability to discover and explore our products with support from the teams.”
One of the key distinctions that Apple emphasises in its retail experience is the seamless integration between its devices, which it calls Continuity. Beckman underscored this as a particular strength of the physical retail experience. “When you think about how seamless that is, having the ability to have a specialist take you through Continuity and show how our products really work together and complement each other, the retail stores bring that to life.”
Inside Apple Hebbal.(Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)
According to Beckman, this hands-on demonstration capability represents a significant advantage over online shopping experiences. “People shop online, but when you have the ability to live in the store and see it come to life, it feels really different,” Beckman observed. The Apple executive asserted that the physical store environment allows customers to experience the interconnected nature of Apple’s product ecosystem in ways that digital channels cannot replicate.
On new market dynamics
The Indian market evidently extends a substantial base of potential new users for Apple. Beckman acknowledged this opportunity.”We know there are so many new people coming to our ecosystem, so we want to be here to help them and support them.”
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Apple’s retail ambitions in India extend beyond the current Bengaluru location. When asked about what excites her the most about Apple’s future expansion plans, Beckman indicated significant growth potential. “We’re just getting started, whether it’s expanding to new cities or introducing Indian customers to all the new products. We’re just getting started.”
Side view of the Apple Hebbal Store. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)
The Cupertino-based tech giant’s retail strategy also moves beyond acquiring new customers to developing sustained relationships with existing ones. “We’ll have the ability to continue to deepen connections and relationships with existing customers but also welcome new people to the iOS ecosystem,” Beckman explained.
With this dual focus, Apple seems to be acknowledging that successful retail expansion requires both customer acquisition and retention strategies.
Apple Hebbal
Apple Hebbal, just as Apple’s other flagship stores worldwide, is positioned as a cultural and creative space. The store will host daily ‘Today at Apple’ sessions, which are free workshops covering an assortment of topics from photography to music to coding. These events are open to all customers and are intended to encourage a sense of experimentation and community. The store’s team is diverse, with 70 members from 15 states across India. According to Apple, Apple Hebbal runs on 100 per cent renewable energy and is carbon neutral.
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As of today, Apple’s retail footprint is relatively small compared to markets in China or the United States; however, the company has signalled intent to expand. The first two stores in India were introduced in Mumbai (BKC) and Delhi (Saket) in 2023. With Hebbal, Apple is in Bengaluru, a city known for its large base of developers, entrepreneurs, and early technology adopters.
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