“India has rejected Apple Inc.’s request to import and sell refurbished iPhones to the world’s second largest mobile population, a telecommunications ministry official said Tuesday,” Saritha Rai reports for Bloomberg.
“The U.S. company’s application has been turned down, the official said, asking to not be identified, citing official policy,” Rai reports. “Apple has been seeking permission to import and sell used phones to court price-conscious consumers with a similar proposal rejected in 2015 by the environment ministry.”
“The decision is a setback for Apple, which has just 2 percent of Indian phone shipments but needs to tap new markets as global iPhone sales plateau,” Rai reports. “The U.S. company is also seeking permission to open its first Indian retail stores, key to driving its brand in a market dominated by local vendors. That decision is pending.”
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MacDailyNews Take: Bad news for Apple and for Indian consumers who could have had access to the world’s best smartphone at prices that were more accessible for that market.