Customers can’t get their iPhones back if they left them at an Apple Store before they closed amid the coronavirus pandemic (AAPL)

apple store

On March 14th, Apple officially closed every one of its stores outside of China over coronavirus concerns — but stayed open for two days after that just so customers could pick up iPhones or other devices that had been left for repairs.
Apple sent emails and tried to call customers who had devices being repaired at its stores, but some customers couldn't be reached, or otherwise couldn't make the two-day pick-up window to get their devices.
For customers who missed the two-day pickup window, their iPhones, computers, Apple Watches, and other products are essentially locked up until Apple re-opens its stores — and nobody knows when that might be.
The stores were initially meant to re-open on March 27, but the new guideline is "until further notice." It could be days, weeks, or months.
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On March 14th, Apple officially closed every one of its stores outside of China over coronavirus concerns. But they technically stayed open for two days after that, just so customers could pick up iPhones or other devices that had been left for repairs, an Apple spokesperson tells Business Insider.

The company tried to contact customers with devices being repaired at Apple Stores via phone and email, and many took the chance to pick up their devices. "We made every possible attempt to get people's products back to them," the spokesperson said.

Inevitably, either some customers missed Apple's attempts, or the two-day pickup window wasn't enough time for them to make the trip. "There certainly are people that, for whatever reason, did not pick up their products before we closed and their products are at our stores," the spokesperson said.

For those customers, their iPhones, Macs, Apples Watches and other devices are essentially stuck in a closed Apple Store for an undisclosed amount of time. Apple's original timeline to re-open its stores was Friday, March 27. That's now changed to "until further notice" as of March 17.

Unfortunately for those who missed the pickup window, there's no way for them to get their devices until Apple Stores re-open, the spokesperson said.

As for those who's devices were sent out to Apple repair centers, the company is getting in touch with those customers to have their devices returned to them, rather than the normal route of having them shipped to an Apple Store for pickup.

Do you have a device that's stuck indefinitely at an Apple Store during the pandemic? I'd love to hear from you. Get in touch at: avillasboas@businessinsider.com.

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