Apple sees huge growth in India, but trails behind competitors
TechCrunch reports that Apple has seen a huge gain in sales in India -- up to 400 percent -- in July through September 2012, but still has a long way to go compared to its competitors in the region.
According to the research firm IDC (based on figures collated from that time period), Apple isn't in the top five of handset market share. Samsung is at the top, with a 46 percent share, and HTC at No. 5, with a 6.6 percent market share. Additionally, web browsing stats reveal that Apple has a tiny percentage of current mobile web traffic.
However, this is not so surprising given that in an earnings call last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he didn't see much opportunity for growth in India in the short-term. But that's not to say Apple isn't scouting the area and preparing for growth. India is a huge market, with less than 10 percent smartphone penetration.
TechCrunch reports that Apple's sales growth is attributed to a growth in Apple's India team, from 50 to 150 in the last six months, as well as distribution partnerships with Redington and Ingram Micro. Apple is also making its iPhone easier to purchase with installment-based payment schemes through its retail partners, including the nation wide retail chain, TheMobileStore.
