Apple in talks to open first Israeli store in country's tallest building, report says

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2018
Apple is reportedly in talks with an Israeli retail property group to bring its company-owned brick-and-mortar stores to the country, the latest in an effort to open consumer hubs in the world's major metropolitan centers.


Apple is reportedly in talks to open a retail store in Sarona Tower, Israel's tallest skyscraper. | Source: Globes


According to Yediot Achronot, Apple is in discussions to partner with real estate and holdings firm Azrieli Group on its first retail store in Israel. Talks between the two parties have been ongoing for "several" months, including a recent meeting at an exhibition in Las Vegas, but a deal has yet to be signed.

If negotiations are fruitful, Apple will open an outlet at the foot of Sarona Tower in Tel-Aviv, a space Azrieli originally intended to develop as a luxury mall, the report said. Sarona is no stranger to U.S. multinationals, as the upper floors of Israel's tallest building host the offices Silicon Valley tech giants Amazon and Facebook.

Though Apple products are available in the country through Apple Authorized Reseller iDigital, Israel has never had an Apple-owned store, meaning the country has done without amenities such as on-site repairs through the Genius Bar and Today at Apple educational sessions.

iDigital is owned by Pitango Venture Capital, which counts Nechemia (Chemi) Peres, son of former Israeli President Shimon Peres, as a managing general partner. iDigital operates retail stores in Tel Aviv's Ramat Aviv Mall, Tel Aviv Dizengoff Center, Haifa's Grand Canyon Mall, and Cinema City in Rishon LeZion.

Interestingly, the mall will supposedly be "unmanned." Given Sarona's existing list of tenants, Azrieli has reportedly decided to turn the space into an electronics center, similar to advanced technology malls that exist in Asia. The Apple store is expected to be the main attraction.

If true, the move would be out of character for Apple, a company that typically selects heavily trafficked retail malls or shopping destinations as homes for its international outlets.

Apple currently operates multiple offices in Israel, including research and development centers in Ra'anana and Haifa, as well as a facility in Herzliya acquired through the purchase of flash memory firm Anobit in 2011.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    No political comments, please.  That includes antisemitic jabs or rants, of which I just deleted one (somebody’s first post ever and it had to be that).  
    lukeisirozhaStrangeDayswatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 2 of 17
    racerhomie3racerhomie3 Posts: 1,264member
    Apple , please open a store in India ,Sri Lanka & Bangladesh.
    These countries are a large market & and have rich economic zones too.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 17
    sirozhasirozha Posts: 801member
    How about an immediate and permanent ban on the username and IP address for anyone who makes an anti-Semitic or anti-Israel post? Appealing to the good senses of anti-Semites is hardly an effective tool. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 17
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    sirozha said:
    How about an immediate and permanent ban on the username and IP address for anyone who makes an anti-Semitic or anti-Israel post? Appealing to the good senses of anti-Semites is hardly an effective tool. 
     Or anything objectionable to a normal person, no need to be specific on the target of these idiots.  

    Hats off to the mods on AI for keeping this site free of moronic posts. 
    edited June 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 17
    boogerman2000boogerman2000 Posts: 417member
    If I were to voice my opinions on, or criticize America's gun control policy, would that be considered anti-American? Israeli's policies are in fact quite objectional. Anti-semite ?
    radarthekat said:
    No political comments, please.  That includes antisemitic jabs or rants, of which I just deleted one (somebody’s first post ever and it had to be that).  
    tallest skiltoysandmelamboaudi4
  • Reply 6 of 17
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    boogerman2000 said:
    If I were to voice my opinions on, or criticize America's gun control policy, would that be considered anti-American? Israeli's policies are in fact quite objectional. Anti-semite ?
    radarthekat said:
    No political comments, please.  That includes antisemitic jabs or rants, of which I just deleted one (somebody’s first post ever and it had to be that).  
    I think the point being that this is a story about Apple possibly opening a store in Israel. Israel's policies or the dominant religion in Israel are irrelevant. Similarly if Apple opened a store in Spotintheroad Nebraska, any comment about Nebraska's or America's gun policies would be irrelevant to the story. Unless a story is overtly political, say Apple endorses a candidate, politics are always going to be O/T.

    rweiserwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 7 of 17
    sidricthevikingsidrictheviking Posts: 185member
    Still NOT holding my breath for Ireland’s first Apple Retail Store....sigh.....

    Delighted for Israel and every other country that has or is getting Apple Stores. The more the merrier. Consumers (that’s us) win every time. 
    edited June 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 17
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    sirozha said:
    How about an immediate and permanent ban on the username and IP address for anyone who makes an anti-Semitic or anti-Israel post? Appealing to the good senses of anti-Semites is hardly an effective tool. 
    Being critical of Israel and anti-semitism are not one and the same. Criticizing the policies and government actions of the state of Israel is not anti-semitism and there’s a huge difference between the two. Criticizing LGBTQ politics and agendas does not make one a homophobic bigot. And taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem does not mean you hate the U.S.A either.
    edited June 2018 toysandmelamboaudi4djsherlywatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 9 of 17
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    The more Apple stores the better. I am extremely fortunate to live near TWO apple stores in St. Louis, MO. Both are 25 minute drives for me, one west, one southwest. One of the Apple stores is just about a half mile from the only MicroCenter in town. Can’t get any better than that. 
    edited June 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 17
    sirozhasirozha Posts: 801member
    If I were to voice my opinions on, or criticize America's gun control policy, would that be considered anti-American? Israeli's policies are in fact quite objectional. Anti-semite ?
    No political comments, please.  That includes antisemitic jabs or rants, of which I just deleted one (somebody’s first post ever and it had to be that).  
    This is a tech blog. Do you find it objectionable that an Apple store be opened in Tel Aviv?

    Do you have a Pavlov reflex triggered in your brain to say something nasty about Israel every time the word Israel is mentioned? If so, suppress it. 


    edited June 2018 watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 11 of 17
    rweiserrweiser Posts: 8member
    boogerman2000 said:
    If I were to voice my opinions on, or criticize America's gun control policy, would that be considered anti-American? Israeli's policies are in fact quite objectional. Anti-semite ?
    If you heard about an Apple Store opening in New York, and you responded with, "How can you open an Apple Store in a country with such horrible gun laws?", then - yes, that would be anti-American. If your primary association with something is how objectionable one irrelevant-to-the-matter-at-hand part of it is, then - yes, you are biased and prejudiced.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 17
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    lkrupp said:
    sirozha said:
    How about an immediate and permanent ban on the username and IP address for anyone who makes an anti-Semitic or anti-Israel post? Appealing to the good senses of anti-Semites is hardly an effective tool. 
    Being critical of Israel and anti-semitism are not one and the same. Criticizing the policies and government actions of the state of Israel is not anti-semitism and there’s a huge difference between the two. Criticizing LGBTQ politics and agendas does not make one a homophobic bigot. And taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem does not mean you hate the U.S.A either.
    I must say I agree with your comments here.
    watto_cobrabloodshotrollin'red
  • Reply 13 of 17
    djsherlydjsherly Posts: 1,031member
    Apple has put its hat in the political ring more than once so I think Israel’s regional policies are fair game. I have nothing against Jews or Arabs or Sri Lankans or Indians or Aussies, but the general tenor of policy in the region has a bad smell all round. If Apple are happy to campaign on LGBTI rights, then surely they should also be wary of a region where clear wrongs are being conducted and act consistently with whatever their values are.
    bloodshotrollin'red
  • Reply 14 of 17
    aegeanaegean Posts: 164member
    I am fortunate to live nearby 3 stores, one in 1 KM, one approx 5 KM and one in 12 KM distance. Even the fourth one which is a bit far like 25 KM, i can get there in 20 min through subway.
    edited June 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 17
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    aegean said:
    I am fortunate to live nearby 3 stores, one in 1 KM, one approx 5 KM and one in 12 KM distance. Even the fourth one which is a bit far like 25 KM, i can get there in 20 min through subway.
    Funny thing, I live, on the map at least, within 30-40 miles of four Apple Stores. Unfortunately they are in Vancouver. I live on Vancouver Island, an expensive ferry ride away. I can see Vancouver from the beach near my house, but not get there without a lot of hassle. I've been hoping Apple would put one in Victoria, an hour and a half up the Island Highway, but no. Apparently the 750k people living on VI aren't enough to qualify. So even though I'm a figurative stones throw away from four Apple Stores, I almost never go into one. London Drugs and the Apple Online Store get all my business.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 17
    bloodshotrollin'redbloodshotrollin'red Posts: 442member
    Apple has no scruples. Other than generating profit how does it justify selling products to a country which has broken more international laws than any state in existence? Every shekel Apple make from Israeli customers should be used to help rebuild the utility services and humanitarian aide programmes needed to give dispossessed Palestinians basic human dignity
  • Reply 17 of 17
    j5514596@nwytg.net[email protected] Posts: 1member
    nope.

    this is not true.

    there is no support for any apple products and/or services in Israel at all.

    so called 'idigital' is NOT apple. they do not have access to data that apple has access to. they cannot help with any issue not hardware related.

    there is no official apple service in Israel whatsoever.

    Amir.
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