In 2017, till September end, there has been a 21 percent revenue decline compared to the calendar year 2016.
But then, Apple has witnessed good annual growth rates since 2010 — its average annual revenue growth rate has been 116 percent in its first decade of presence in India.
Both from the revenue as well as volume aspects, Apple has seen a consoling India story so far.
The real issue is the growth in the premium segment with several players, including from China, now offering devices. This segment is going to see some difficult times ahead owing to the fact that, after Jio surfaced on the landscape, the opportunity now shifts towards the entry-level players to let a user have his or her first smartphone experience.
In the era of “Desh Ka Smartphone” and “Mera Pehla Smartphone”, it would be challenging for any premium smartphone brand, including Apple, to grow like in the past.
The overall declining growth in all price segments of smartphone over the last decade or so, Apple’s consistent growth in revenues as well as its increasing growth in market share in the segment(s) it is present, has an interesting story to tell.
For Apple, revenues, as well as its market standing, is on the rise so far, as it faces the peculiar nature of the domestic market.
Was Jobs able to foresee this peculiarity of the Indian smartphone market or was his interpretation something different?
