Roger Fingas
Apple is preparing to launch its next Chinese store in Shanghai on Saturday, Dec. 10, throwing open the doors at 10 a.m. local time.
The outlet will be based out of Vanke Mall in Qibao, located in the suburbs of the city. Hours will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, unlike many of Apple's stores in Europe or North America, which normally have reduced hours on one or more days and can sometimes shut down entirely on Sundays.
The Qibao shop will be Apple's seventh in Shanghai, cementing the city's status as one of the most densely-covered in terms of Apple stores. The company is up to 489 locations worldwide, and is likely to hit 500 early into 2017.
Although China hasn't proven the growth market Apple anticipated — largely due to intense competition from local smartphone makers like Huawei and Oppo — the country is still a major source of revenue, second only to the Americas and likely to take the lead in the next few years.
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12 Comments
Man does it suck every time I read this kind of stuff, wish apple could some how give every region that has a dedicated page on the web site at least one store, middle child syndrome :(
Somehow, I have a feeling that China may have plateaued on Apple Stores. I don't have a good feeling about how well American businesses, esp. in tech, are going to do there in the short term (1-4 years) given the likely relationship -- or lack of it -- between Trump and China. (Not that I am against China being put in is place; it's about time a US President had the guts to take on their belligerence in international affairs as well as their barriers to US tech companies doing business there).
My concern is that CCP is ready and itching to pull the rug out from under Apple in China as a big stick in the eye against the US. I understand that Apple must participate and advance its strategy. Yet, the leverage, the antagonism and nationalism stoked by the CCP against this particular company bodes badly for investors and clients of Apple products. A totalitarian government has no qualms in nixing a brand or rejigging their manufacturing base, excluding the Fruit. How Apple will remove itself from this Pandora's box is anyone's guess. But, putting a blinder on just won't make a lick of difference.
How about Taiwan?