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RIYADH: US tech giant Apple has launched its online store and Apple Store app in ����ֱ��, offering next-day delivery and, for the first time, direct Arabic-language support.  

“This launch will make the 40th country and territory around the world with an Apple Store online,” Karen Rasmussen, Apple’s head of Online Retail, said.  

“It is going to be our first Apple Store online fully in Arabic,” she added.   

Originally launched in 1997, Apple’s online store has since expanded to over 40 countries and territories worldwide. 

Starting July 22, customers in ����ֱ�� can shop for Apple products online through the website or the app, with the promise of faster delivery, new customization options, and local-language support.  

The site offers Arabic and English customer service, flexible payment options, and product personalization. 

The Apple executive noted that most orders will be delivered the next day.  

“We built a distribution center in the Kingdom of ����ֱ�� to be able to support all of our customers in the fastest possible way,” Rasmussen told Arab News.   

Free engraving is now available in both Arabic and English, allowing customers to personalize products such as AirPods, Apple Pencil, and AirTag with text, emoji, and numbers. 

The company has partnered with Saudi-based buy-now-pay-later platform Tamara to offer customers the ability to pay in four monthly installments at zero percent interest. 

Apple is also introducing Arabic-language, in-country shopping assistance. 

“We will provide in-country, in-Arabic shopping support, where a specialist is trained exactly the same way as any Apple specialist, whether online or in the store,” she said.  

Hardware support and express replacement services will also be available in Arabic through the new online platform. 

AppleCare+ has been updated to allow customers to subscribe on a monthly basis, rather than making a single annual payment.  

Another addition is Apple Trade In, which enables Saudi customers to exchange their current Apple devices for credit toward new purchases.  

The Apple Education Store will also be accessible through the online platform, offering special pricing on Macs and iPads for university students, educators, and their families.   

“All year long, we offer special education discounts for verified students and educators,” Rasmussen explained.  

Additionally, a back-to-school offer valid until Oct. 21 will give eligible buyers the option to receive AirPods or another accessory when purchasing an eligible Mac or iPad. 

However, the long-awaited question on the minds of Apple device users in ����ֱ�� is: When will there be a physical store in the Kingdom? 

The company confirmed plans to open its first flagship Apple Store in ����ֱ�� in 2026.  

 “We absolutely have plans to open stores in the country as well, starting in 2026,” she said. 

“My favorite store, which is coming a little after that, is going to be the one we are planning in Diriyah,” added Rasmussen. 

Apple is currently in the early planning stages for a second store in Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

When asked about the first physical store’s location, Rasmussen said: “It’s a subsequent store... We have been partnering very particularly on the Diriyah site, but it’s not going to be the first one,” she told Arab News. 

“The investment in ����ֱ�� is something that Apple has been very focused on for a very long time,” Rasmussen stated. 

“This is just one step in a broader journey of long-term investment in the Kingdom.” 

“Up until now, for the past five years, we have spent more than SR10 billion ($2.67 billion) in development initiatives such as the Apple Developer Academy,” the head of online retail told Arab News.  

RIYADH: ����ֱ��’s Ministry of Investment has granted 550 foreign new ventures the Startup Investment Registration, known as the Riyadi license, as of mid-2025, marking an annual rise of 118 percent. 

The Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, known as Monshaʾat, has issued 364 licenses to business incubators and accelerators nationwide, according to a report by the body. 

Monshaʾat said these entities provide facilities for prototype development, mentorship, and connections to investors and commercial partners. 

The increase in Riyadi registrations aligns with the Kingdom’s surge in venture capital activity. 

According to regional platform MAGNiTT, ����ֱ�� led MENA VC funding in the first half of 2025, with $860 million raised, representing a 116 percent annual increase across 114 deals. This marked a 31 percent rise in deal count compared to the same period in 2024. 

This momentum built on a record 2024 performance, when startups in the Kingdom secured $750 million in funding and saw a 34 percent increase in early- and mid-stage “MEGA” rounds below $100 million.  

“This increase forms part of joint national efforts to reinforce the Kingdom’s role as a regional hub for entrepreneurship by streamlining market access for foreign startups and establishing a flexible regulatory environment that supports innovation and attracts investment,” Monsha’at’s report said. 

According to the Ministry of Investment, this trend reflects growing international interest in ����ֱ��’s investment environment, underpinned by recent legislative changes, expanded digital infrastructure, and a range of support programs introduced in line with the objectives of Vision 2030. 

Saudi organizers have hosted international startup events, including Biban and LEAP, which feature presentations on the local ecosystem and investment opportunities. 

Government agencies and private-sector representatives have attended overseas gatherings, such as the Web Summit, VivaTech, and Slush, to facilitate networking with foreign entrepreneurs and promote the Kingdom as a potential base for regional operations. 

In addition to the Riyadi permit, the Ministry of Investment will issue a full suite of eight sector-specific business licenses, designed to accommodate virtually any foreign investor’s needs. 

These include service licenses, which permit 100 percent foreign ownership for activities such as IT, consulting, marketing, and hospitality; entrepreneurial authorizations that offer streamlined fees and access to government-led support for startups; and industrial licenses for establishing manufacturing facilities. 

Specialized agricultural permits cover crop cultivation and animal husbandry, while trade licenses authorize wholesale, retail and import-export operations. 

Additional categories encompass real estate licenses for development and brokerage projects, professional permits for individual practitioners and solidarity firms, and mining licenses for exploration and extraction activities. 

Each permit carries tailored minimum-capital requirements and documentation processes, but all are obtainable through MISA’s online portal, which centralizes application, approval and renewal under a unified regulatory framework.