Apple has announced plans to reopen more than 25 Apple stores across the US in the coming week. Customers will be allowed in to pick up the new iPhone SE as long as they follow a number of safety measures at the door.
“Our commitment is to only move forward with a reopening once we’re confident we can safely return to serving customers from our stores”, wrote Senior Vice President of Retail + People Deirdre O’Brien.
“We look at every available piece of data – including local cases, near and long‑term trends, and guidance from national and local health officials. These are not decisions we rush into — and a store opening in no way means that we won’t take the preventative step of closing it again should local conditions warrant”.
According to TechCrunch, Apple plans to reopen more than 25 locations across seven states. As of this week, nearly 100 of Apple’s 506 retail stores have reopened worldwide.
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Apple has a number of precautions in place to allow the company to reopen stores as safely as possible. Only a certain number of people will be allowed in each store at a time, and Apple will be renewing its focus on one-on-one, personalised service throughout the store, including at the Genius Bar.
Many stores will also require all staff and customers to wear face coverings, with masks to be provided for customers that don’t bring their own. Temperature checks will also be conducted at the door, and visitors will be screened for symptoms and asked if they have been exposed to anyone infected with Covid-19.
Stores will also conduct deep cleanings throughout the day with an emphasis on surfaces, display products and high trafficked areas. Other stores will organise curbside pick-up and drop off, as well as home delivery for products bought online.
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Trusted Reviews reached out to Apple to find out if the company has any plans to reopen stores in the UK, but were told that there is nothing more to share at this moment. We assume that when they do reopen, we will likely see the same safety measures soon to be practised in the US.
For now, you can use the Find a Store search tool to keep an eye on your local retailer and be the first to know if they plan to reopen.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
