Apple this week has announced that the company will be expanding in Saudi Arabia, starting with an online store launch in summer 2025. In 2026, Apple will open flagship stores with an iconic store is planned for 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. 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,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
Apple’s retail expansion builds on existing investments and activities, including the region’s first Apple Developer Academy in Riyadh, Tuwaiq Academy, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
The all-women Apple Developer Academy at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University provides world-class training for aspiring coders, designers, and entrepreneurs, preparing them for careers in Saudi Arabia’s vibrant app economy. Nearly 2,000 students have completed programming courses and published their apps on the App Store.
This summer, the company hosted the country’s first coed Apple Foundation Program, bringing together students from across the country to learn coding and app development, with a focus on gaming. Apple plans to expand the coed Foundation offerings to spring 2025.
Apple Developer Academy graduates and Saudi developers are part of the country’s thriving iOS app economy, supporting jobs across the nation. The app economy’s rapid growth, driven by coders, entrepreneurs, and creators, has led to a 1,750% increase in developer earnings since 2019. Over the past five years, Apple has spent over 10 billion SAR with local companies. Apple services power businesses, and the recent opening of the Riyadh metro, with Apple Pay, marks the city’s entry into the over 250 cities where users can ride transit with Apple Pay. Additionally, Riyadh is the first Middle Eastern city to offer Express Mode, a seamless and secure way to tap and pay for transit using an iPhone or Apple Watch.
