Pursuits

Why Apple Is Giving iTunes Discounts in India

Apple tries to entice new consumers with discounted songs on iTunes

A man with headphones on his ears walks along a road in New DelhiPhotograph by Shekhar Yadav/India Today Group/Getty Images

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Kartikay Mehrotra and Bruce Einhorn

January 25, 2013 at 2:06 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

BusinessWeek Cover Image (13_05, portrait_2x)

This article is part of the January 28, 2013 issue of businessweek.

In India, where the Beatles once sought spiritual enlightenment, Apple is selling some of the Fab Four’s greatest hits for about a quarter. In December the company launched a steeply discounted version of its iTunes store, which offers songs such as Come Together and Hey Jude for just 15 rupees (28¢), provided the buyer pays with an Indian credit card.

“Apple kept the Indian consumer in mind when determining their pricing here,” says Siddhartha Roy, chief operating officer of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, an Indian digital music portal that’s providing licensing to more than 100,000 of the 1 million Bollywood tracks offered on iTunes. “India is just starting on the digital commerce space, and this will likely serve as an entry into a lot of other products for Apple.”