Apple plans to triple retail presence in India amid speculation of a cheaper iPhone

Apple plans to triple retail presence in India amid speculation of a cheaper iPhone:
Apple (AAPL) looks like it's making a more aggressive push into emerging markets as The Economic Times reports that the company will triple the number of exclusive stores in India by 2015. Exclusive Apple stores are different from the iconic company-owned Apple stores that we typically see in the United States in that they're third-party franchises that only sell Apple products. All the same, The Economic Times says that Apple wants to have 200 exclusive franchises up and running in India over the next two years and is also planning "to expand its presence in multi-brand stores" as well. The move to bolster its retail presence in India comes amid speculation that Apple will release a budget version of its iPhone sometime this year to appeal to consumers in emerging markets such as China and India.