Source: @Carly_Madsen
What you need to know
- Japanese Apple Stores have been closed for months thanks to the pandemic.
- Some stores internationally have already reopened.
- Some Japanese stores will follow suit this week.
Apple is planning to reopen some of its Japanese Apple Stores this week, but not all of them. Two locations – stores in Fukuoka and Nagoya Saka – will resume trading on Wednesday, May 27.
There's no indication when the rest of the Apple stores will also reopen, but it's likely to happen soon following the news that Japan's state of emergency has been lifted ahead of schedule. In a move similar to other locations where Apple Stores have reopened, Apple will have safeguards in place including temperature checks as well as a supply of masks for visitors, as noted by Bloomberg.
In a statement confirming the Japan openings, Apple reiterated that stores will require temperature checks at the door, social distancing and the use of masks by customers and staff alike. This is in line with requirements among local Japanese retailers such as Montbell, which turns away customers without face masks.
Apple has already reopened stores in Australia, Austria, Germany, South Korea, and Switzerland. A number of stores have also reopened in Italy and the United States although some remain closed.

Kuo: AirPods, other accessories will switch to USB-C like iPhone 15
Following the news that Apple is increasingly likely to switch from Lightning to USB-C for the iPhone 15 launch next year, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also now shared expectations that the same fate will befall Apple's accessories, too.

Editor's Desk: The iPod will always have a special place in our hearts
This week saw some crazy news, but none crazier than the death of the iPod.

Nintendo recap: Pokémon HOME will finally link with BDSP and PAL
We learned several things regarding various Pokémon games on both iOS and Nintendo Switch this week. Plus, Nintendo revealed its latest financial report showing us how well the system is doing five years into its life cycle.

Protect your AirPods charging case... with a case!
Your AirPods case is the perfect protection for your AirPods, but who protects the protectors? We've rounded up a cool collection of cases for your precious buds, with a style and on a budget to suit everyone.