# Apple Store in the United Arab Emirates?



## i stole this name (May 9, 2005)

Some friends were at the local mall the other day and they saw an Apple Store, a proper one, same design, same logo and layout - but it wasn't open because the staff were apparently still in training.

I'm gonna go down ASAP and snap some photos, this is quite strange...


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## ender78 (Jan 23, 2005)

i stole this name said:


> Some friends were at the local mall the other day and they saw an Apple Store, a proper one, same design, same logo and layout - but it wasn't open because the staff were apparently still in training.
> 
> I'm gonna go down ASAP and snap some photos, this is quite strange...


This is possibly an "Apple Centre" and not an "Apple Store".


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## i stole this name (May 9, 2005)

True, but i thought that the Apple store design was trademarked?

I haven't seen it for myself yet but apparently it looks identical


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## Ighareeb (Aug 10, 2005)

hey,
while i was visiting last time, saw it at the new ibn battuta mall. I was under the impression it was a apple store (its near the boat displays and past the left end food court.)
That said i will be visiting there soon again to upgrade my macbook pro i bought here lol (no education discount for me at home hehe)


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## i stole this name (May 9, 2005)

Ibn battuta? That's odd, i never saw one. When was the last time you visited?

I remember seeing one owned by Virgin Megastores in Mall of the Emirates, which was also nice, but didn't have the latest stuff and well, didn't have the whole Apple Store feel. (macbook pros were like 9000dhs on the low end, which is about $3000)


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## Ighareeb (Aug 10, 2005)

i visited that mall just about 2 weeks before the mall of the emirates opened. i havent seen that mall yet, had to leave just before it did...will check it out in a bit though.
im pretty sure it was an apple store, not virgin or anything that simply distributes. if i remember correctly though, they didnt have stock of any of the stuff i needed, so i cant really comment on the quality of the store. it is expensive, compared to here, macs are new to mass consumers in the u.a.e now lol


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## UAEMac (Nov 30, 2004)

*Apple in the UAE*

Actually, there is an Apple Centre in the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai (in the China Court) and a brand new Apple Centre in the Abu Dhabi Mall in Abu Dhabi (third floor near the Grand Cinemas). They are not actually Apple Stores... they are Apple Centres owned and operated by ABM (I believe that Arab Business Machines has the primary distribution rights for Apple in the UAE).

Apple seems to be on an upswing here!

Brent


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## trump (Dec 7, 2004)

Apple Centers often look almost identical to Apple Stores as the Apple architecture team assists in the design of them. In fact, many of the same materials (tables, metals, cement) are the same as an official Apple Store. The catch, I think, is that an Apple Centre can only be located in a market Apple has no intentions of entering


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## emiratesmac (Aug 16, 2007)

Actually, the "Mac Store Apple Centers" have now been renamed "iStyle", and there's one more in Festival City, Dubai. As UAEMac wrote, Apple Inc. does not operate here, it's Arab Business Machines under the name of Apple IMC ME.


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## sumaira (Jul 10, 2014)

When I was in Sharjah, I saw a similar apple store in the Sahara center and the store name is pixelparc. I went inside and there were a variety of latest apple products. I asked them about how are they selling these products at this store and then one of their staff member told me that they are a premium reseller of apple products in Sharjah and Jeddah KSA. I searched for it and then found their website pixelparc.com I hope it will help people who are visiting sharjah and looking for an apple store


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## sumaira (Jul 10, 2014)

Here are the images:


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Why in heaven's name bump an eight year old thread?


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Hey, sumaira, thanks. The photos are pretty cool.


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## macintosh doctor (Mar 23, 2009)

SINC said:


> Why in heaven's name bump an eight year old thread?


I think it was to show off the 5 princes blocking the staff in the background attempting to be in the photo and computers. Wow, lot of men.. in the store and out front  other than the 2 women in the photo where are the rest?


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

They sure have some nice, neat, clean and refreshing looking stores, and now they have two of them.

But who was their web designer and what gives with the maps red pin location?? Unless my geography is waaay off...
Pixel Parc - Apple Premium Reseller Store in KSA


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