Apple to Open Online Store in Saudi Arabia in 2025, Flagship Stores by 2026

RIYADH  Apple is planning to grow its business in Saudi Arabia. The company will first launch the Apple Store online in the summer of 2025. This will let people in Saudi Arabia buy Apple products and use its services in Arabic for the first time.

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After launching the online store, Apple will open its first big physical Apple Stores in Saudi Arabia by 2026. One of these stores will be built at Diriyah, a historic site in Saudi Arabia that is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, said, “We are very happy to bring the Apple Store online to Saudi Arabia next year. We are also excited to open our first big Apple Stores in 2026.”

He added, “We look forward to connecting with customers, supporting them to follow their dreams, build their businesses, and share their ideas.”

This move is part of Apple’s plan to support Saudi Arabia’s efforts to grow its digital economy. Apple has already started a special program called the Apple Developer Academy in Riyadh. This program is in partnership with Tuwaiq Academy and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. It teaches students about coding, technology, and business skills.

Since 2021, almost 2,000 Saudi women have joined this academy. Many of them have created and sold apps on the App Store in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world.

This summer, Apple also started the first mixed-gender Apple Foundation Program in Saudi Arabia. This program teaches students how to learn coding and build apps. Another group of students will join this program in the spring of 2025.

The number of app developers in Saudi Arabia has grown a lot. Their earnings have increased by over 1,750 percent since 2019. Apple’s investments have created jobs and supported new businesses in the country.

Over the last five years, Apple has spent over SR10 billion with Saudi companies. The company has also introduced services like Apple Pay and Express Mode to make life easier for people commuting and for businesses.

Apple’s plan to bring both its online store and physical Apple Stores to Saudi Arabia shows the company’s strong commitment to supporting the country’s goals for digital growth and technology progress.