After years of anticipation, Apple has finally opened its first retail store in India. On Tuesday, hundreds of eager customers were finally able to step inside the Mumbai-based location and experience the highly anticipated store for themselves.
The store’s stunning design is evident in the images included in the gallery below, with its striking glass exterior and unique ceiling, made up of triangular pieces of timber that extend beyond the building’s walls to form a canopy over the store. Apple has revealed that each of the 1,000 tiles in the ceiling is comprised of 408 individual pieces of timber, showcasing the brand’s commitment to intricate and detail-oriented design.
The long-awaited arrival of an Apple store in India marks a significant milestone for the company’s expansion into the country, and provides local consumers with direct access to Apple’s latest products and expert support. The opening of this flagship location in Mumbai is sure to be celebrated by Apple enthusiasts and shoppers alike.
Apple’s newest store in Mumbai boasts an impressive level of energy efficiency. The building features a dedicated solar array, which Apple claims makes this location “one of the most energy-efficient Apple Store locations in the world.” The store operates on 100% renewable energy and has “zero reliance” on fossil fuels, further reinforcing Apple’s commitment to sustainable practices.
Preparations for the store’s grand opening began earlier this year when Apple began recruiting employees for physical store locations throughout India. While the company only officially announced the Mumbai store’s opening earlier this month, it is already set to open another store in Delhi on April 20th.
In addition to expanding its retail presence in India, Apple has also begun shifting some of its iPhone production to the country. This move is aimed at reducing the company’s reliance on China and making the iPhone more affordable for Indian customers. Last year, Apple began assembling its flagship iPhone 14 in India shortly after its announcement, marking the quickest shift in production from China to India following a new iPhone launch.