Gradly

Apple is the final stages of opening an Apple Store in Dubai.  The Store – whether it is officially an ‘Apple Store’ or not, the distinction is dubious– will be a store within a store of Richard Branson’s Virgin Megastore.  It will be staffed by Apple geniuses/employees, however and will retain the Apple Store “look and feel”. Here is what Stuff Middle East had to say about the matter:

It took long enough, but Virgin Megastore has finally answered UAE-based Apple fanboy’s calls and will be opening the region’s first official Apple Store next week. The store, in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, will be 100 per cent Apple, we’re told, complete with Apple staff and know-it-all Geniuses.

It’s a real boon for Apple-lovers in the UAE, who in the past have had to deal with extra-long waits for Cupertino’s latest toys or suffer the hugely-inflated prices on the grey market.

Bad news for other manufacturers though, who have no doubt capitalized on Apple’s lackluster presence in the region.

More info – including better images (these are just sample shots) in a bit – and we’re going to ask Richard Branson himself if this means the iPad 2 will get here any quicker.

UPDATE:

The exact date is March 16th, and Virgin Megastore will be celebrating by giving away vouchers to would-be iMac and MacBook buyers.