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Mon. 16 Jul 2018 – 5:50 AM
Bengaluru
APPLE Inc has lost a trio of top executives in India in recent weeks as it struggles to boost iPhone sales in the smartphone on fastest-growing in the world
Among the executives who left, there are its national sales and distribution director, the head of its commercial and middle market channels, and the telecom sales manager, said sources, who asked not to be identified discuss internal issues. The Indian sales team of Apple is restructuring, according to one of the sources.
The Executive Exodus is a symptom of Apple's persistent malaise in India, where high tariffs inflate the prices of imported gadgets such as the iPhone and consumers. Less expensive alternatives like Xiaomi Corp and Samsung Electronics Co.
Instead, the company has been using marketing iPhones dating back a few generations and not manufacturing its latest models in the domestic market. His inability to grow his business and his one-digit market share contrasts sharply with the publicly optimistic comments of CEO Tim Cook, who used phrases like "very optimistic" and "very optimistic" when talking about the Asian country. 19659003] Immersed in these challenges, Michel Coulomb, who took the lead in Indian operations in December 2017. While he has a wealth of experience in buoyant sales, his team has been slow to cultivate relationships. business in the market, according to sources. . Apple also had trouble understanding the country, leaving the sales team without direction, they said.
Apple's failure in India worsens its problems elsewhere in Asia – the iPhone X, for example, has been disappointing in China. In India, where it holds a market share of around 2%, Apple has only sold 3.2 million iPhones in 2017, according to Counterpoint Research. In the first half of 2018, fewer than a million devices were moved, it is estimated.
iPhone sales in India were weak in the first half of 2018 and, although they are posting a big jump in the traditionally strong second half, Apple will still be short of last year, "he said. said Neil Shah, director of research at Counterpoint. Mr Cook suggested that India could be the next China, which is now the second largest market of Apple. While the iPhone's price tag puts it out of reach for the most part, the CEO predicted that young Indians who aspire to climb the socio-economic ladder would be looking more and more to modernize. Last May, he said during a conference call with investors that India had set a new sales record in the first half.
The world's most successful company has recently stepped up its business. center, from mid-2017 to assemble some of its old models in the country.
But he has to do more, said Shah. "It has not put emphasis or investment in India because the market is so tiny," he added. The inattention could send more users on Android phones, making it difficult for Apple to create a user base and build loyalty. "It's a difficult situation for Apple in India." BLOOMBERG
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