Apple has closed stores outside of China indefinitely

Apple has decided to keep its stores outside of mainland China indefinitely closed as global corona virus spread continues. The iPhone maker was originally targeted on March 27 to reopen locations in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, however Bloomberg reports now the company plans to keep all stores closed until further notice. The company’s website has also been updated to reflect the new closure indefinitely.

Apple only temporarily closed its US locations last weekend, and last week it closed stores indefinitely in Italy, where most of the COVID-19 cases are currently outside of China. In mainland China, Apple has already reopened all 42 stores it operates thanks to the Chinese government’s control of the virus.

Apple has not given any reason for the update indefinitely. But numerous U.S. cities, including New York City and San Francisco, have announced and implemented policies in the past two days that advise people to stay indoors and force the shutdown of bars, restaurants, and all other nonessential businesses while the corona virus spreads continues to spread.

For Apple, this decision will certainly complicate in-store returns and repair programs. The company has already announced an extension of its return period for customers who may have purchased products just before retail closings; that should remain until 14 days after the stores are finally reopened. But it is unclear how in-store pickup and existing repair orders are handled in the event of a lengthy shutdown. Apple currently has a FAQ page to address these issues, but it has yet to be updated with the indefinite shutdown guidelines.