Apple To Open App Design Centre In India

Apple (LSE: 0R2V.L - news) has announced plans for a new app design centre in India as the firm's chief executive made his first visit to the country.

Tim Cook said the US technology giant was planning to build the app design faculty in the southern city of Bangalore.

"India is home to one of the most vibrant and entrepreneurial iOS development communities in the world," the Apple boss said in a statement.

He said the facility will open early next year and give "developers access to tools which will help them create innovative apps for customers around the world".

With Apple’s sales slowing in China and the United States, Mr Cook will use his four-day visit to develop relations in India's fast-growing market, which Apple sees as increasingly key to its fortunes.

In April the tech firm reported its first drop in global iPhone sales since launching the smartphone in 2007.

But revenues from sales in India grew by 56% in the first three months of 2016 compared to the previous year.

While an Apple spokesperson refused to confirm Mr Cook's schedule, local media reported he had lined up meetings with a number of prominent business people, including Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry and Airtel boss Sunil Mittal.

Airtel, along with other Indian telecoms companies Reliance and Vodafone, are currently rolling out 4G networks across the country.

Mr Cook has previously said the onset of fast phone networks in India would boost sales of the Apple iPhone in the country.