India blocks cheaper refurbished Apple products


People have been tossing around peak iPhone as smartphones ownership saturate global markets. Global expansion has been a major factor in Apple's iPhone growth over the years. That growth gets harder when upgrades increasingly drives sales vs feature phone conversion. India is largely untapped by Apple, but India's protectionist policies are block Apple's efforts there.

Bloomberg:

Apple's rivals have mounted a public campaign against the effort, arguing that such a move would trigger a flood of used electronics while defeating the government's Make-in-India program to encourage local manufacturing.

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. 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.