Apple Inc. is stepping up investments in India, with focus on innovation rather than "selling the most number of units," CEO Tim Cook said in an interview with The Hindu Business Line published Aug. 8.

Cook reiterated his confidence in bringing pre-owned iPhones into India, which is opposed by the the Indian government.

"I still believe that certified pre-owned phones will be good for India. It's a programme that's widely used in the U.S., all throughout Europe and almost every country where we sell. We just have to do a better job of explaining it and talking about the advantages," Cook said.

Apple intends to run its own retail stores in India, although Cook said this will happen "eventually, not tomorrow but over time."

The company is expected to launch more iOS apps in India following an accelerator for developers in Bengaluru and a software development center in Hyderabad.

Cook said investing in Indian companies, similar to what Apple did with Didi Chuxing in China, is possible if there are joint benefits from the investment.

Apple is also working on improving the iOS user experience for its Indian customers, such as localizing its keyboards, the newspaper said.