Apple has revealed plans to begin re-opening its stores in the United States from next week, but the firm is making clear it won’t be business as usual.
Apple retail outlets will open in four states across the US, as the country looks to kickstart an economy crippled by the coronavirus outbreak.
The four states are Idaho, Carolina, Alabama and Alaska, which aren’t exactly population hotspots. The stores will open in line with local government guidelines as they have in nations like Australia, South Korea and Germany.
The stores will have capacity restrictions and Apple is encouraging people to only come for in-person repairs. The firm also plans to temperature check staff and customers in the hopes of mitigating any potential spread of the virus. If you want to purchase a product Apple is still advising you order online and have it delivered or arrange for a pick-up.
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“We’re excited to begin reopening stores in the US next week, starting with some stores in Idaho, South Carolina, Alabama and Alaska,” an Apple spokesperson told CNBC. “Our team is constantly monitoring local heath data and government guidance, and as soon as we can safely open our stores, we will.”
The re-opening in the US comes around a month after the company initially signalled plans to do so after president Donald Trump set the target of getting the country open by Easter. Of course that did not happen.
Many in the US are concerned over the race to restart the economy amid the pandemic with many states choosing to relax measures, amid protests from the public to get things moving again.
The opening of the Apple Store in the UK seems like it may be a long way off, with Britain expected to move slowly towards relaxing some restrictions from this coming Monday. Those relaxed measures are not to expected to include opening of retail stores.
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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.