Apple opened flagship stores in New Delhi and Mumbai India in Q2 2023 to massive enthusiastic crowds. So it was rather surprising to see that sales for Apple devices crashed in Q4 2023 – especially iPads.

According to an analytical report by Canalys, "The Indian PC market (including desktops, notebooks and tablets) grew 4% year on year in Q4 2023, with 4.3 million units shipped. This growth was primarily driven by a 27% increase in desktop shipments, which reached 884,000 units. Notebooks grew more modestly, by 3% to 2.3 million units." Yet Apple Mac sales fell 14%.

More importantly perhaps, the report notes that tablet sales declined 9% in India. For Apple, the decline was a jaw dropping -65%.

Looking ahead, Canalys predicts robust double-digit percentage growth in both the commercial and consumer segments. In 2024, the PC market is expected to see a 14% year-on-year increase, followed by further year-on-year growth of 15% in 2025. Solid commercial procurement is anticipated to be the driving force behind this growth. For more, review the report by Canalys.

Will Apple's next-gen iPads due in Q1 give Apple India a boost? While only time will tell, Q4-23 shipments could discourage Apple from building more flagship stores in India until sales dramatically increase.