Apple has closed all stores across the world with the exception of China, where it reopened after a monthlong lockdown over the novel coronavirus. Tim Cook, head of Apple, confirmed the closures saying, “We must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” The reopening of all 42 official stores in China marks a turning point in their battle with the virus, which was first detected in Wuhan province in December 2019. The reopening of the stores was celebrated in countries like Italy, where the same iron-fisted lockdown to contain the spread of the virus just got underway. Apple sold half the number of phones in February as it sold a year ago as demand plunged—but Foxconn, the company that runs Apple’s production factories, along with suppliers have also returned to work.
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