Apple has opened another store in mainland China, this time in Henan Province. With this new store, the number of Apple stores around the country now totals 13.
The new store opened Saturday within a shopping mall located in Downtown Zhengzhou. This is the provincial capital of Henan Province and is frequented by many.
The opening of the new store would serve as a critical step in the layout of Apple's retail stores in China. This is because Foxconn is located in Henan too, Apple's main supplier. With a store in Henan now, Apple can take advantage of the shorter and more convenient logistic channel that being near Foxconn offers. In addition, Henan, with its population of 94 million, offers a lucrative market to the technology giant.
Apple's increasing number of stores in mainland China is logical, if not necessary. Earlier this month, investing banking firm UBS reported that Apple sold more iPhones in China compared to the United States, its core market.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models have done really well in the Chinese market, and Apple would be able to tap into this further if it has more stores in the country.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook already anticipated how China would become its biggest money horse. On a recent trip to China, the CEO was noted to have said that "it is just a matter of time" before the country turns out to be the company's biggest revenue source.
The CEO also shared Apple's plan of expanding further within the country, adding more stores in the next few years, possibly up to 40.