Apple has reopened all 42 retail stores in China from today, a company spokesman confirmed to Reuters and Bloomberg, in a clear indication of China's control of the global pandemic caused by the Corona virus.
Apple closed all of its stores there in early February, when China restricted travel, in an attempt to slow the outbreak of the Corona virus, and gradually reopened it over the past few weeks.
The move comes after CEO Tim Cook said in an interview with Fox Business two weeks ago, "I feel like China is controlling the Coronavirus," and he continued, "Look at the numbers, they're going down every day. So I'm very optimistic over there." Cook pointed out that Apple suppliers are reopening factories, in another sign of the improvement in the situation in China.
Apple said the closing of stores in China - one of the company's biggest markets - was the main reason why it had had to lower expectations for its quarterly earnings last month.
As the situation in China begins to improve, Apple employees are likely to be infected elsewhere, as the virus is spreading around the world, and this week the company has closed all 17 of its stores in Italy, after the government announced a full ban.