What you need to know
- Apple is closing a number of its retail stores in Italy.
- The stores will close in response to new lockdown measures by the government.
- Stores will temporarily close beginning on Friday, November 6.
Reported by 9to5Mac, Apple will be closing a number of its retail locations in Italy in response to parts of the country going into a stricter lockdown to fight the pandemic. The stores will close on November 6, the same day that the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available to preorder.
According to the report, the lockdown measures that Italy is putting into place are expected to stay in place until December 3.
Four regions in Italy — Lombardy, Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta, and Calabria — are marked as "red zones" under Italy's new COVID-19 guidance. Non-essential stores must close and travel between regions is restricted. The new measures are expected to stay in place until December 3. 7 of Apple's 16 stores in Italy are located between Lombardy and Piedmont.
The following Apple Stores will be closed starting Friday, November 6.
- Apple Piazza Liberty
- Apple Carosello
- Apple Fiordaliso
- Apple Oriocenter
- Apple il Leone
- Apple Le Gru
- Apple Via Roma
If you live in Italy and were planning on picking up your new iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12 Pro Max at your local Apple Store, the option will most likely be unavailable when you preorder tomorrow. Even if it is, the safest option would be to choose contactless delivery to ensure you get your device as soon as possible.
Apple just closed its stores in England as well in response to a new national lockdown. A number of those stores will reopen on Friday, November 6 with a new "click-and-collect" format.
