Apple announced this morning that it is closing all retail stores and corporate offices in mainland China as a precautionary measure due to current coronavirus situation.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said its thoughts are with those affected and its decision to temporarily close stores is based on the latest advice from health experts.
Whilst all retail stores will now be temporarily closed, Apple’s online store will remain operational so Chinese Apple customers can continue to buy online — and contact online support — in the meantime.
It is of course possible that the February 9 date is extended, but that is what Apple has announced so far.
On its quarterly earnings call, Apple said that it was unclear how much impact the coronavirus would have on its business operations, calling it a ‘recently unfolding public health situation’. The company announced a wider than normal range of expected revenue for the next quarter to account for possible lower income from the mainland China area.
