ADVERTISEMENT

Apple Reopens All 42 China Stores After Virus Closures

Apple Inc. has reopened all 42 of its stores in China after it was forced to close them last month due to the coronavirus outbreak

Apple Reopens All 42 China Stores After Virus Closures
An employee wearing a protective mask stands at a temperature screening point at an entrance to an Apple Inc. store in Shanghai, China, on Monday, March 2. (Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. has reopened all 42 of its stores in China after it was forced to close them last month due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The closures were one of two primary reasons Apple cited for pulling its revenue forecast for the March quarter. China is Apple’s third biggest market.

Apple Reopens All 42 China Stores After Virus Closures

Since shutting the stores, Apple gradually reopened them and 38 of the 42 stores were operating as of last week. The final four will open their doors on Friday local time, according to Apple’s website. An Apple spokesman confirmed the move.

Apple was also forced to close all 17 of its stores in Italy earlier this week as the virus spreads there. Meanwhile, Apple has also started creating more space in its retail stores and canceling some classes to limit Covid-19 transmission. Apple has also encouraged employees at several of its offices to work remotely this week.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Gurman in Los Angeles at mgurman1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net, Alistair Barr

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.