RIYADH: US tech giant Apple has launched its online store and Apple Store app in Saudi Arabia, offering next-day delivery and, for the first time, direct Arabic-language support.
“This launch will make the 40th country and territory around the world with an Apple Store online,” Karen Rasmussen, Apple’s head of Online Retail, said.
“It is going to be our first Apple Store online fully in Arabic,” she added.
Karen Rasmussen, Apple’s head of Online Retail. Supplied
Originally launched in 1997, Apple’s online store has since expanded to over 40 countries and territories worldwide.
Starting July 22, customers in Saudi Arabia can shop for Apple products online through the website or the app, with the promise of faster delivery, new customization options, and local-language support.
The site offers Arabic and English customer service, flexible payment options, and product personalization.
The Apple executive noted that most orders will be delivered the next day.
“We built a distribution center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be able to support all of our customers in the fastest possible way,” Rasmussen told Arab News.
Free engraving is now available in both Arabic and English, allowing customers to personalize products such as AirPods, Apple Pencil, and AirTag with text, emoji, and numbers.
The company has partnered with Saudi-based buy-now-pay-later platform Tamara to offer customers the ability to pay in four monthly installments at zero percent interest.
Apple is also introducing Arabic-language, in-country shopping assistance.
The site offers Arabic and English customer service, flexible payment options, and product personalization. Supplied
“We will provide in-country, in-Arabic shopping support, where a specialist is trained exactly the same way as any Apple specialist, whether online or in the store,” she said.
Hardware support and express replacement services will also be available in Arabic through the new online platform.
AppleCare+ has been updated to allow customers to subscribe on a monthly basis, rather than making a single annual payment.
Another addition is Apple Trade In, which enables Saudi customers to exchange their current Apple devices for credit toward new purchases.
The Apple Education Store will also be accessible through the online platform, offering special pricing on Macs and iPads for university students, educators, and their families.
“All year long, we offer special education discounts for verified students and educators,” Rasmussen explained.
Additionally, a back-to-school offer valid until Oct. 21 will give eligible buyers the option to receive AirPods or another accessory when purchasing an eligible Mac or iPad.
However, the long-awaited question on the minds of Apple device users in Saudi Arabia is: When will there be a physical store in the Kingdom?
The company confirmed plans to open its first flagship Apple Store in Saudi Arabia in 2026.
“We absolutely have plans to open stores in the country as well, starting in 2026,” she said.
“My favorite store, which is coming a little after that, is going to be the one we are planning in Diriyah,” added Rasmussen.
Apple is currently in the early planning stages for a second store in Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
When asked about the first physical store’s location, Rasmussen said: “It’s a subsequent store... We have been partnering very particularly on the Diriyah site, but it’s not going to be the first one,” she told Arab News.
“The investment in Saudi Arabia is something that Apple has been very focused on for a very long time,” Rasmussen stated.
“This is just one step in a broader journey of long-term investment in the Kingdom.”
“Up until now, for the past five years, we have spent more than SR10 billion ($2.67 billion) in development initiatives such as the Apple Developer Academy,” the head of online retail told Arab News.
