Apple Store in Rio de Janeiro opens, becoming the first location in South America

Apple has been steadily rolling out new Apple Stores all around the world. There are a bunch of stores in the US, but no locations have been placed in South America. Apple has announced that it has opened a new location in Rio de Janeiro.

The new location in Rio is the first Apple Store to be opened in South America. Apple fans in South America were happy about the opening. About 1700 people lined up to get inside the Rio Apple Store on opening day. South America is the most expensive place in the world to buy an iPhone.

The iPhone 5S costs 2799 reals in Brazil. That is equal to about $1174 in the US. The off contract price for the iPhone 5S in the US is $649. One of the reasons the cost is so high in Brazil has to do with high import taxes.

The new Apple Store in Rio is at the Multiplan Village Mall in the Barra da Tijuca district. That area of Rio is costal and upscale. It will also be the area where much of the 2016 Olympics will be held. With the store now open in Brazil, Apple has retail locations in 15 countries.

SOURCE: SCMP