Apple has announced plans to expand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, starting with the launch of the Apple Store online in summer 2025.
And starting in 2026, Apple will begin opening the first of several flagship Apple Store locations in Saudi Arabia. As part of this expansion, the tech giant is in the initial stages of planning a retail store coming to Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“We’re excited to be expanding here in Saudi Arabia with the launch of the Apple Store online next year, and the first of several flagship Apple Store locations starting in 2026, including an iconic store at the stunning site of Diriyah coming later,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in the announcement. “Our teams are looking forward to deepening our connections with customers, and to bringing the best of Apple to help people across this country explore their passions, build their businesses, and take their ideas to the next level.”
He said Apple’s retail expansion builds on its existing investments and activities in the country. This includes the region’s first Apple Developer Academy, which opened in Riyadh in 2021 in partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tuwaiq Academy, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
The all-women Apple Developer Academy located at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University offers training for aspiring coders, designers, and entrepreneurs, preparing them for careers in the country’s vibrant app economy. Nearly 2,000 students have completed programming courses through the academy, and are now publishing their apps on the App Store for both domestic and global audiences.
Apple says it continues to enhance learning opportunities through its academy programs and partnerships. This summer, Apple hosted the country’s first coed Apple Foundation Program. This monthlong course brought together students from across the country to learn the fundamentals of coding and app development, with a focus on gaming. Apple plans to further expand the coed Foundation offerings, with the next cohort planned for spring 2025.
Apple Developer Academy graduates are not alone in pursuing careers in the country’s thriving iOS app economy. Apple says the Saudi developer community is a “powerful force for economic growth, supporting jobs across the country at companies large and small.” The tech giant says that, since 2019, earnings for developers in Saudi Arabia are up over 1,750%.
Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today