Apple announced a strategic partnership with Bharti AirtelIndia’s second largest telecom company, to strengthen its presence in the digital content market.
This partnership will allow Apple to offer for free Apple Music et Apple TV+ to many Airtel subscribers, which has around 281 million customers.
The move comes as Apple seeks to grow its global revenue through digital services such as apps, payments and media. Despite manufacturing many iPhones in India, Apple’s market share in the country remains small, with just 6% of India’s 690 million smartphones, though it has doubled from about 2% in 2019, according to data from Counterpoint Research.
The deal with Airtel could significantly expand the user base of Apple TV+ and Apple Music in India, a market dominated by rivals such as Spotify et Walt Disney.
