Apple has announced that it is re-opening some of its stores in Beijing following closures concerning the coronavirus threat.

These stores will be operational for reduced hours even though the rest of its stores across China still remain closed.

Apple, along with many other companies, closed their Chinese stores and other operations after local authorities asked residents to stay indoors to stop the deadly virus from spreading further.

Apple coronavirus

Apple has five stores in Beijing which will remain open starting February 14 from 11am to 6pm instead of the regular 10am to 10pm timing, while the stores in Shenzhen and Shanghai still remain closed.

The company is also said to have started working towards re-opening its corporate office and support centres starting February 8. The company has also urged its customers to “wear a mask and cooperate with the temperature test.”

The impact of coronavirus has been far worse than initially imagined and has accounted for the death of close to a thousand people already and countless infected. This rapidly spreading virus has brought the businesses in China to a halt.

Due to the fear of the virus and overseas travel restrictions in place, the huge MWC tarde show has been called off. Factories across China have also shut, which not only has resulted in a hike in the price of raw materials and parts, but also derailed the entire supply chain ecosystem.

Apple is said to have stalled the work on its next-gen iPhone 12 while Foxconn, primary assembler of iPhones for Apple, is expected to resume half of its production line by the end of February.