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Filed under: Retail

Apple store in Brazil? Jobs says no

Rio de Janeiro may have picked up the 2016 Olympics, but they won't be getting an Apple store. According to MacMagazine Brazil, the city's Secretary of Heritage emailed Steve Jobs personally to ask if there were any plans to start up an Apple store in the city. Jobs replied back in the negative, citing high taxes on imports in the area and saying that "many [other] high-tech companies feel that way."

Apple has no stores at all in Mexico or Central or South America. Almost all foreign countries apply import tariffs to products manufactured elsewhere, but apparently charges in those countries are too high for Jobs to be interested. He said that the high charge "makes it very unattractive to invest in the country." Some manufacturers will lower their retail prices to a certain country in an attempt to dodge higher tariffs on more expensive goods (taking a small cut on profits in order to avoid paying high fees), but obviously Apple, as a premium manufacturer, would rather not get involved if it means lowering their prices. So, for the moment, Brazil will have to go without an Apple Store.

[Thanks, Silvio Sousa Cabra!]

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Retail

Online Brazilian Apple Store now live



After months of rumors, Apple's official online store for Brazil has officially opened at apple.com/br. It joins the 34 other countries with localized online stores. The Brazilian store is a mirror of many others and joins Apple's effort to establish a presence south of the United States. Presently, there are localized online stores in Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador among others.

Right now, there are no brick-and-mortar Apple Stores in Brazil, but they do run eight "Stores within a store" complexes in association with Fnac (similar to the arrangement with Best Buy here in the USA). Brazilian customers have anticipated the real thing for a long time.

Here's hoping you get physical stores soon. Until then, enjoy your online shopping, Brazil!

[Via AppleInsider]

Filed under: iPhone

iPhone in 29 new countries; unlocked in Hong Kong


Our sister site Engadget reports that Apple is now offering unlocked iPhones in Hong Kong via its online store. HK$5,500 (≈ US$700) will buy you an 8GB model, HK$6,200 (≈ US$800) gets you 16GB.

The Apple Store's terms and conditions limit sales to individuals in Hong Kong only, but who knows what the gray market will bring.

Three Russian carriers will also begin selling unlocked iPhones on October 3, with the 8GB model selling for over US$900.

In related news, 29 new countries will begin selling the iPhone, some today: Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Qatar, Senegal, South Africa, Turkey and Venezuela.

[Via IGM.]

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