Pandemic? What pandemic? For the first time since the inception of the coronavirus pandemic, Apple is opening up all 270 of its U.S. based stores, according to a spokesperson for the company. Although the stores will be open for business, some stores will have alternate protocols to fulfill social distancing and Covid-19 safety measures.
Depending on location, Apple customers may have to make an appointment to visit the stores. There may also be the option to purchase items with a new feature called express pickup, limiting the number of patrons that are in the stores at the same time.
Meanwhile, talk of the new iPhone is already gearing up, with many speculating a 2023 release. The new slate of tech releases could include the iPhone 13, iPhone SE, and iPhone 14. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is predicting that a new foldable iPhone will hit stores in late 2020 or early 2023. Some other developments may include a full-screen iPhone without a notch, along with a periscope lens camera and under-display Touch ID.
Apple’s reopening signifies the desire of the U.S. wanting to get back to business as usual. Everyday, more and more people are returning back to work. Some schools are allowing teachers to return, although classes are still being conducted virtually. Even Hollywood is back to shooting productions.
Currently, the U.S. has experienced a total number of 29,259,111 Covid-19 cases, with over 9 million of those cases still active. A total of 525,795 people have died from the virus. Around the world, there’s been a surge of new cases in places such as, India (10,930), Russia (11,571), Italy (13,114), Iran (8,510), Jordan (6,068), and Indonesia (6,680).
