Apple to open iOS app design, development centre in Bengaluru

May 18, 2016

New Delhi, May 18: US tech giant Apple Inc today announced setting up a software laboratory in Bengaluru to support startups and developers working on the company's iOS platform as its Chief Executive Tim Cook began his maiden visit to India.

TimCook

Cook, who arrived in Mumbai late last night, is also slated to unveil a development center for maps in Hyderabad tomorrow. His four-day tour of India may also feature a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

The app design and development accelerator or laboratory will open in Bengaluru in early 2017, Apple said in a statement.

The company, however, did not disclose the investments.

Apple, which is facing slagging sales in the US and Europe, is pushing for opening retail stores in India.

Apple, which has a network of 33 stores in China, is seeking to import and sell refurbished iPhones in India but this proposal is facing opposition from authorities.

Cook had in a recent earnings call stated that he viewed "India as where China was maybe seven to 10 years ago from that point of view, and I think there's a really great opportunity there."

India is world's third-largest smartphone market with over 100 million smartphones sold last year. This is projected to grow 25 per cent this year.

But Apple's iPhone has only a 2 per cent market share.

"The company will establish a design and development accelerator in Bengaluru, the home of India's startup scene. Tens of thousands of developers in India make apps for iOS (foundation for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch). This initiative will provide additional, specialised support for them," Apple said in a statement.

Apple's team will work with developers on best practices, help them hone their skills and transform the design, quality and performance of their apps on the iOS platform, it added.

"India is home to one of the most vibrant and entrepreneurial iOS development communities in the world. With the opening of this new facility in Bengaluru, we are giving developers access to tools which will help them create innovative apps for customers around the world," Cook said.

Each week, Apple experts will lead briefings and provide one-on-one app reviews for developers.

The facility will also provide support and guidance on Swift, Apple's intuitive programming language created to build apps for iOS, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

As part of his visit, Cook is expected to meet government officials and key industry executives from telecom firms to discuss matters like manufacturing and expansion of network in the country.

The Apple CEO's visit comes at a time when the US-based firm is focusing on new growth markets like India after posting its first-ever decline in iPhone sales.

In an interview earlier this month, Cook had said Apple sees a "huge market potential" for its products in India and that it is "really putting energy" in the country.

Apple has also sent in a proposal to the Indian government for selling refurbished phones in India. However, no official call has been taken.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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