Apple said on Feb 1 that retail stores in China will be closed until 24:00 on February 9 based on recent public health and prevention considerations. Now it seems that date is going to be delayed as the Coronavirus situation is as severe as before.
Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's Head of People, said in an email to Apple employees that Apple is working to reopen Apple's corporate offices and contact centers next week, and is "actively working" to reopen retail stores at a date that "will be determined next week."
Health protocols, local restrictions around public spaces, and additional cleaning have factored in to Apple's decision to delay store reopening, she said.
Apple plans to provide retail teams with updates on store opening dates as retail locations begin to reopen over the coming weeks, but it continues to be unclear when the first stores will be back in running order.
Here is O'Brien's full letter according to MacGeneration
Team, I want to thank every one of you for the care, flexibility and spirit you have shown over the past few weeks. Around the world, the entire Apple family stands committed to helping our colleagues, communities, suppliers, partners and customers in China as they care for their health and return to daily life. Apple's support for the global coronavirus response is broad and ongoing, including our donation to the public health effort.
Since my last note, we have been in constant consultation with public health experts, government authorities and our teams and leaders in China. In light of those conversations, I want to share new information about Apple's workplaces.
We are working toward reopening Apple's Corporate Offices and Contact Centers in China next week. We recognize that personal movement and travel restrictions are ongoing and schools are closed in many places, and managers will be working with their teams to offer additional support. You will receive a follow up communication shortly with more information.
Apple's Retail Stores are actively working to reopen at a date that will be determined next week. Additional cleaning, health protocols and local restrictions around public spaces will factor into this decision. Retail teams will receive updates from their managers on the opening date for their store and on other supportive steps we are taking.
Individual business leaders will be reaching out to you soon with more information relevant to your work. In addition to your manager, your People Business Partner and People Support are your resource for any questions you may have. To stay up to date with Apple's efforts, please continue to check the dedicated coronavirus page we've created on the People site.
As we work together to gradually resume work over the next few weeks, your well-being is our first priority. We are deeply grateful to everyone for facing this challenging period with the utmost empathy and understanding.
Apple's decision to temporarily close its retail stores in China due to the new coronavirus outbreak could delay up to 1 million iPhone sales, analysts at Wedbush Securities said earlier this month.
Analysts Daniel Ives and Strecker Backe wrote:
We believe with the limited transportation in major cities throughout China and limited foot traffic in Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities that at most ~1 mm iPhones in the region could be at risk of shifting out of the March quarter into the June quarter if this continues into late February.
However, they noted this is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the company's revenue as the sum represented less than 3% of annual Chinese iPhone sales.
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