Apple has officially launched its Store Online in Saudi Arabia, giving customers in the region the ability to buy iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other devices directly from the company for the first time. And that’s just the beginning.
Until now, Apple customers in Saudi Arabia had to rely on Authorized Resellers to purchase products.
With the store now live, they can access Apple’s full product lineup, explore customization options, and receive direct support without having to go through a third-party.
Here’s Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and People:
“We are thrilled to bring the Apple Store online and the Apple Store app to Saudi Arabia, offering customers a new way to explore and shop Apple’s extraordinary lineup of products and services. (…) Our customers in Saudi Arabia are passionate about the things they can do with technology, and our teams can’t wait to connect with customers and help them discover how Apple innovations can meaningfully enrich their daily lives.”
Part of a long-term investment
Apple unveiled its plans to increase its presence in the region in 2021, when it opened its all-female Apple Developer Academy in partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tuwaiq Academy, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. The academy aimsto offer “world-class training for aspiring coders, designers, and entrepreneurs, preparing them for careers in the country’s vibrant app economy.”
At the time, the company announced that it would launch its online store “in summer 2025,” followed by “the first of several flagship Apple Store locations in Saudi Arabia” in 2026, including “an iconic retail store coming to Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site.”
Here’s Apple CEO Tim Cook’s statement from that announcement:
“We’re excited to be expanding here in Saudi Arabia with the launch of the Apple Store online next year, and the first of several flagship Apple Store locations starting in 2026, including an iconic store at the stunning site of Diriyah coming later.” “Our teams are looking forward to deepening our connections with customers, and to bringing the best of Apple to help people across this country explore their passions, build their businesses, and take their ideas to the next level.”
According to Apple, it has already invested more than 10 billion SAR in the country over the better half of the last decade, and App Store earnings for local developers have grown more than 1750% since 2019.
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