More of Apple’s China plans are coming to light. The first Shanghai store opened last week in light of news that the company plans on opening 25 new retail outlets in the country. Apparently that includes Hong Kong, too. The expansion is set to be complete by the end of 2011.
The retail expansion is a huge strategy shift for Apple. Up until last week’s opening, there was only one Apple Store in all of China — Beijing, which opened in 2008. The company has traditionally ignored the Chinese market, thanks in part to the rampant hardware piracy. But it’s hard to ignore the billion potential customers living within China. Apple is in the business to make money.