Fake Apple Stores Open In China

Tweet

The big news of the day, of course, is the release of both Apple OS X Lion and the new lineup of Apple hardware, including some new MacBook Air models. But the Apple news doesn’t end there, as some Chinese cities are seeing Apple stores open up…that Apple didn’t actually sanction.

They’re being called fake Apple Stores by some, and by all indications, they’re not officially sanctioned Apple Stores, thus this may be the best name for them. And they’re actually very close replicas, right down to the interior look of the stores and a series of blue t-shirt clad employees, most of whom reportedly believe they work for Apple. Though some signs that these aren’t officially sanctioned stores are apparent, including one store that has misspelled its storefront logo as “Apple Stoer”.

Most of us know that there are many Chinese versions of American products, whether you call them fakes, knockoffs, or something else entirely, so it’s not exactly a big surprise to see an Apple Store (or is it Apple Stoer?) get the same treatment. But at the same time, it’s very much a shock to see Apple not actually landing on this concept’s throat with both feet, considering how extremely protective Apple is of their intellectual property. And the Apple Store may well be one of their biggest pieces of intellectual property.

Somehow I don’t look for these stores to be open too much longer–despite Apple’s incredible presence in China and its contribution to the bottom line, Apple has never taken kindly to unauthorized use of its intellectual property in whatever the form. Of course, there’s nothing saying that Jobs et al may not sanction these stores after the fact, especially if they’re turning a profit.

So what do you guys think here? Think you’ll continue to see Apple Stoers popping up all over China? Or do you think Apple’s urge to protect its intellectual property will outweigh any potential profit and see these stores shut down in rapid fashion? Head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think–we love to hear from you!