US giant Apple said to be in talks to open first Saudi stores
Tech major is reportedly in licensing talks with Riyadh; first Apple store could open in 2019
US tech giant Apple is reportedly in licensing talks with Saudi Arabia with a view to open its first stores in the Gulf kingdom.
The maker of the iPhone, which sells products in Saudi Arabia via third parties, is in discussions with SAGIA, Saudi Arabia’s foreign investment authority, sources told Reuters on Thursday.
They said a licensing agreement is expected by February, with the first retail store targeted for 2019.
The sources said that Amazon is also in talks with Riyadh on investing in Saudi Arabia, adding that discussions are in earlier stages.
Both companies declined to comment, while SAGIA was not immediately available to answer questions about the discussions, Reuters said.
retail news 
Very surprised that they don’t already have stores there