Bad news for Apple, the wave of Covid-19 sweeping over France is pushing the company to take new health measures, reinstating the principle of mandatory appointments.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Apple has always been relatively cautious. He was one of the first to close his points of sale and made respecting barrier gestures a priority. In the current context of a sharp upsurge in positive screenings with the passage of the Omicron wave, the French subsidiary of Apple has decided to reinstate the obligation of appointments to go to the Apple Store, after having brought forward the closure of all its shops at 7 p.m. since last Wednesday (12/29/2021).
It will now be necessary to register online by selecting a time slot to cross the door of a hexagonal Apple Store. This will be the case for withdrawing an order placed online, obtaining the help of a Genius Bar employee, and even for carrying out a simple shopping session to wander between the wooden tables and the brand’s products. All clients who show up without prior reservation will be refused entry by security personnel.
An air of déjà vu
This situation is identical to that already experienced last spring. After having transformed its shops into simple reception desks, the Cupertino company had indeed imagined this concept of visits by appointment only to reopen its shops in a controlled and secure manner. As a reminder, the fifth wave of Covid-19 sweeping over France had already forced Apple to suspend its Today at Apple workshops, replaced by online training. Finally, we learn that some Apple Stores will see their closing times further advanced by one hour, from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m.