Apple Inc. celebrated the grand opening of Apple Jing'an, its largest retail store in Asia, on March 21st.

The event was marked by the presence of Apple CEO Tim Cook, who greeted and took photos with the enthusiastic fans gathered at the venue. Some individuals had been queuing since 7 a.m. to witness the opening, according to Jiemian. 

Photo/Jiemian Weibo

The Apple Jing’an store represents a significant investment of over 83.4 million yuan and is second in prestige only to the global flagship store on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Photo/Jiemian Weibo

The store’s logo, inspired by Shanghai’s city flower, the white magnolia, symbolizes the city’s spirit of innovation and exploration. Bloggers who visited the store shared images of commemorative gift boxes filled with white magnolia elements, including bags, badges, and stickers infused with the scent of the flower. The first customers received these gift boxes, sparking interest among those unable to attend, with some seeking “purchasing agents” online.

Photo/Xianyu

In other news, Tim Cook announced on Weibo that Apple’s generative AI would be unveiled later this year and emphasized the importance of China to Apple’s supply chain. This announcement came during his visit to Apple’s China headquarters in Shanghai, where he met with BYD Company Ltd.'s Chairman and President, Wang Chuanfu, and observed intelligent manufacturing technologies and components produced for Apple by its suppliers.

In an interview, Cook announced that Apple’s generative AI would be revealed later this year. He also emphasized that there is no more important place for Apple’s supply chain than China.