Apple to open yet another retail store in China
Apple will open another retail store in China on Saturday.The company announced on its China Web site today that it will open a new store in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen on Saturday. The store will be open for business at 9 a.m. on Saturday to celebrate its grand opening. From then on, the store will open at 10 a.m. each day.The Shenzhen location is the latest in a string of Apple stores to come to China. Earlier this month, Apple touted a new Beijing store in the Wangfujing district. At that event, Apple senior vice president of retail John Browett announced plans for the Shenzhen store, and said that his company's goal is to serve "every customer in every city."Just a few weeks before that announcement, Apple opened a store in Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.China is an integral component in Apple's long-term success. The country is watching its middle class boom in size, giving companies like Apple a larger customer base to capitalize on. In earlier discussions on China, Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that the country is Apple's second-most-important market. Apple's Asian revenue has soared in recently years, particularly since the iPhone's launch in China in 2009. This Apple store in Shanghai, along the well-traveled Nanjing Road, is frequently packed.Jay Greene/CNETApple's revenue from its China operations for the entire fiscal year ending September 30 was $23.8 billion, accounting for more than 15 percent of total sales. Cook said theiPhone 5 will become available in China in December. "I feel great about where we are on the manufacturing ramp," he said. "The supply output is significantly higher than October." The iPhone has been available for purchase in China since late 2009.
