Apple may sell iPhone 4 in India to kick-start sales

Apple reportedly is prepping to relaunch the budget-conscious 8GB iPhone 4 in India in an attempt to revive lagging smartphone sales.To reach more buyers, Apple will cut the cost of the iPhone 4 to 15,000 Indian rupees ($243) from the original price of 26,500 rupees ($431), The Economic Times said on Tuesday, citing information from Apple's top four trade partners in India. After launching in the country three years ago, the iPhone 4 was retired when the iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, and 5S debuted. However, the 5S starts at the high price of 53,500 rupees ($870), and Apple offers no phone in the sub-30,000 rupee category, according to The Times. Demand for the lower-cost 5C has failed to meet expectations."Apple's iPhone 4 8GB model used to rank amongst the top three selling models by unit sales and fight neck and neck with Samsung, but with its exit the company lost much ground," a senior executive at a top electronic retail told The Times.However, Apple faces an uphill battle competing against Samsung, to which it has lost market share in India. Apple's slice of the smartphone market hit a high of 4 percent around a year ago before sinking to 1.4 percent last October, The Times said. Over the same period, Samsung's share surged from 33 percent to 42 percent.

Apple may open Grand Central store this month

Apple's long-rumored Grand Central Terminal store in New York, currently under construction, could be open by the end of November, a new report claims.According to Apple rumor site 9to5Mac, the iPhone maker has been putting its employees through "Core" training at a hotel in Times Square, and it could open the store as early as "the Saturday before Black Friday." If true, that would mean that the store would open on November 19. Related LinksApple's newly renovated NYC 'cube' to reopen tomorrowGrand Central Apple retail store awaits approvalBird's eye view: Grand Central Terminal's best-kept secretsIt is worth noting, however, that Apple has yet to confirm that it is even opening a Grand Central Terminal store, let alone announce its grand opening. That said, over the last several weeks, images and even videos have been cropping up on the Web showing the store under construction, seeming to indicate that the opening is imminent.Reports of Apple planning to open a Grand Central Terminal store cropped up over the summer, when CNN reported that Apple had submitted plans for the spot with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board. According to The Wall Street Journal, which also reported on the rumor, the space spans over 23,000 square feet and will cost Apple $1.1 million per year to rent.Apple did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.