Apple confirms first Brazilian Apple Store to open on Feb. 15
AppleInsider StaffVillageMall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. | Source: VillageMall
Apple on Thursday announced through its website that the first official Brazilian Apple Store will open on Feb. 15 in Rio de Janeiro's famous Barra de Tijuaca neighborhood.
First spotted by Brazilian publication MacMagazine, Apple's upcoming retail outlet will be located in Barra da Tijuca's VillageMall.
The company's brick-and-mortar retail outlet will open its doors at 11 a.m. next Saturday, marking a significant entry into the developing South American market. It appears that the location will be moderate in size, with a Genius Bar listed among the store's amenities.
Brazil is an important region for Apple as the country is home to a huge population and smartphone sales are on the rise. While the iPhone is priced out of range for many buyers, Apple has instituted monthly payment plans to help blunt the handset's initial cost. In the past, the company has instituted price cuts on last-generation products in a bid to boost marketshare against the tide of cheaper Android devices.
A report on Tuesday claimed Apple has restarted production of the three-generation-old iPhone 4 as a way to gain customers in developing markets like India, Indonesia and Brazil.
Rumors of a Brazil flagship Apple Store most recently surfaced in 2011, some two years after the company launched a localized version of its online storefront in the region.
Operating hours for the latest Apple Store are 11:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Andrew Orr
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4 Comments
Talking about South America, a friend of mine in Argentina surprised me recently? According to her, she can only purchase Apple products from third party companies there, even on line. They have no equivalent to an online Apple store let alone a bricks and mortar Apple Store. How much we take for granted here!
Talking about South America, a friend of mine in Argentina surprised me recently? According to her, she can only purchase Apple products from third party companies there, even on line. . .
Now that is something to cry about.
(wonder if this little puppy will post?)
Please correct the neighborhood's name in Rio (it still has a typo on the main link): it's "Barra da Tijuca" and NOT "Barra da Tijuaca".
In any case, this is excellent news for us Brazilians: there is a huge and very prosperous market down there for such products, so it's high time that Apple had an official store there...Barra da Tijuca is an extremely affluent area of Rio, so people will be more than happy to buy all kinds of Apple stuff there, be they subject to high import tariffs or not.
Will sell like water