Apple will not be opening its US stores this month, despite earlier rumours the company would seek to reopen to the public in April.
A memo sent to staff in the United States said that retail outlets will remain closed until early May, as will the work-from-home arrangements for other employees around the business.
In the memo spied by Bloomberg, Apple Senior Vice President of Retail and People Deirdre O’Brien said “flexible work arrangements will remain in place for all offices, and all retail stores will remain closed, until early May.”
The executive said Apple is “continuing to monitor local conditions for every Apple facility on a daily basis” and that the company will make “reopening decisions on the basis of thorough, thoughtful reviews and the latest guidance from local governments and public health experts.”
O’Brien said Apple wants to ensure those parents balancing childcare and work have the flexibility to continue to do so, for as long as the crisis continues.
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She added that Apple was “working on options to make sure parents have the support and the flexibility to adjust their schedules as needed.”
Apple has 270 stores across the United States, but it now looks to be a long time before we’ll be able to go browsing for iPhones and Apple Watches again. Naturally, all Apple Store shops in the UK are currently closed as they aren’t deemed to be essential businesses by the government.
It’s good to see Apple has seen sense here and decided to keep stores closed for much longer. Last month it was reported the firm was considering reopening in early April amid President Trump’s proclamation that the country would be open again by Easter. How misguided that turned out to be, huh?
Our prediction? We’ll be lucky to step foot in an Apple Store before July.
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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.
