Apple opens first Southeast Asia store in Singapore
Apple has opened its first Southeast Asia store located at Orchard Road in Singapore on Saturday and it is expected to be one of the most popular Apple stores in the world.
Apple opened its first Southeast Asia store in Singapore on Saturday, drawing hundreds of excited fans to the swanky two-storey site in the city`s upmarket shopping district.
Located on the affluent Orchard Road, the new shop -- easily distinguished by its iconic glass facade -- is expected to be one of the most popular Apple stores in the world according to the US tech giant.
Merchandise such as the iPhone and MacBook were strategically placed on display across the spacious first floor, while the upper level acted as a classroom for customers to participate in hands-on sessions.
Hundreds of shoppers camped out in anticipation of the launch, while more than a thousand thronged the store soon after the doors opened, an AFP reporter observed.
First in the queue was Xiang Jiaxin, a twenty-five-year-old Chinese national working in Macau who had queued for more than 12 hours overnight and planned a holiday to Singapore specially to coincide with the opening.
ALSO READ: Apple's first India-made iPhone SE is here; is this the new price?
"I am very happy and excited to be part of this. I have participated in the official store openings in Macau, Guangzhou and Nanjing," he told AFP.
Apple, which has a staggering $256.8 billion cash stockpile, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.
The Silicon Valley legend sprang out of Steve Jobs` garage to reshape modern life with trend-setting gadgets.
Most of its earnings come from the iPhone, which faces increasingly tough competition in a saturated market.
The tech behemoth has almost 500 stores globally with more than a million visitors daily. Aside from Singapore, its Asia shops are located in Hong Kong, China and Japan.
A regional transport, business and financial hub, Singapore attracted 16.4 million visitors last year.
ALSO READ: Apple tops $800 billion market cap for first time
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Retirement Planning: SIP+SWP combination; Rs 15,000 monthly SIP for 25 years and then Rs 1,52,000 monthly income for 30 years
Retirement Calculator: 40 years of age, Rs 50,000 monthly expenses; what should be retirement corpus and monthly investment
SBI 444-day FD vs Union Bank of India 333-day FD: Know maturity amount on Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh investments for general and senior citizens
EPF vs SIP vs PPF Calculator: Rs 12,000 monthly investment for 30 years; which can create highest retirement corpus
Home loan EMI vs Mutual Fund SIP Calculator: Rs 70 lakh home loan EMI for 20 years or SIP equal to EMI for 10 years; which can be easier route to buy home; know maths
01:09 PM IST