Why it matters: Apple closing all of its stores was bad news for those with devices in for repair, but it gets worse: customers who never picked up their items in time will have to wait until the stores reopen to retrieve them.
As the number of new conoranvirus cases dropped in China, Apple earlier this month announced that it would be reopening all 42 of its stores within the country. But with infections spreading rapidly across the rest of the world and nations getting put on lockdown, Apple decided to close all its retail outlets outside of China.
Once the stores had closed, Apple gave customers two days to collect any devices that were in for repair. The company tried to contact people via phone and email to tell them to pick up their products, but any that weren't retrieved will remain in the stores until they reopen, a spokesperson told Business Insider.
Apple originally planned to reopen its stores on March 27, but that was quickly changed to "until further notice." That'll be a concern for people waiting on their iPhones and other devices, which are more appreciated than ever when you're quarantined at home. It's rumored that Apple will start reopening its stores in early April on a staggered basis, but that could always change.
There is some good news for owners whose devices were sent out to Apple repair centers. The company is contacting these customers so their items can be returned to them directly, instead of picking them up from an Apple store.