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Software and consumer electronics giant Apple has expanded its reach within the kingdom with the opening of a new iMachines store at Bahrain City Centre.
The opening by Khalid Almoayed & Sons W.L.L., the official Apple distributor in the kingdom, took place last week in the presence of company officials, VIPs including Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro, and spectators who flocked to admire the gadgets on offer.
iMachines retail manager Mohamed El Khodary, said: “We are very excited to open another store on the island to meet the growing demand for Apple products.
“The iMachines outlets are the place to get expert advice for businesses or professional users wanting to get more out of their Mac.”
The store is the third on the island, the first being on Exhibition Avenue and the other at Seef Mall. The outlets offer a complete range of Macs, iPods and iPhones, alongside a full complement of software and accessories, to help customers find everything they need in one place, the company says.
The opening proved timely as Apple fans in the kingdom were eager to purchase the new iPad 3 which was launched on Sunday. People across the world from London to New York queued overnight outside Apple retailers to ensure they got their hands on it.
The hand-held tablet appears to be one of this year’s ‘must-have’ gadgets. Website techrader.com describes it as looking remarkably like its predecessor but with an overhaul on the innards.
It is armed with a full HD display with 3.1 million pixels and a supercharged new processor.
The tablet, which starts from BD265, will be powered by a super fast quad-core A5x chip, putting Apple’s tablet ahead of competitors such as Samsung.
It also boasts a 5MP iSight camera on the rear that allows the user to shoot 1080p HD video. It also comes with a VGA sensor on the front as well as iOS 5.1 software updates.
The device is just 9.4mm thick and Apple claims its battery lasts 10 hours.
However, if that still seems too large for your liking, Apple fansite iMore recently reported that the company has plans to launch an iPad Mini in October.
The baby tablet will feature the same display as the regular iPad but is expected to have a seven-inch screen and cost a fraction of the price, around $250 (BD94).
Sources said they hoped the new product would appeal to people who want an iPad for browsing the net but don’t want to shell out for a full-sized one. The website said the new tablet is expected to have the same number of pixels but less storage capacity.
