Apple to reopen Australian retail stores

Apple will soon reopen its Australian retail stores for customers, but its going to be a different experience to the one you might be used to.

Apple will reopen all but one of its Australian retail stores this Thursday after they were closed for more than a month amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The company shut all 458 of its retail stores outside greater China in March in a bid to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Its online stores have remained open for sales but customers haven’t been able to go into the store for help with their devices or if they needed repairs.

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Apple closed most of its shops around the world in March. Picture: Josep Lago / AFP

Apple boss Tim Cook flagged last week in an interview with Bloomberg that stores in Australia and Austria would reopen soon.

Now 21 of the companies 22 local stores will reopen their doors on Thursday May 7.

The main Sydney store on George Street was closed for renovations earlier this year, which have not been completed.

“We’re excited to begin welcoming visitors back to our Australia stores later this week. We’ve missed our customers and look forward to offering our support,” Apple said in a statement.

A sign fixed to a closed Apple store in the US. Picture: Tom Pennington / Getty Images / AFP

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The company will initially focus on helping people working and learning from home by providing support and services at its “Genius Bar”.

Stores in Austria and South Korea, which have one store each, have also reopened, bringing the total list of countries to four.

While the company will reopen its stores around Australia, it’s not going to be business as usual.

Opening hours have been changed from 10am to 5pm, social distancing rules will apply in stores, and customers will have their temperature taken upon entry.

The company is still recommending people shop online and come into the store just to pick up items they can’t get delivered.