SINGAPORE: Apple opened its first Southeast Asia store in Singapore on Saturday, drawing hundreds of excited fans to the swanky two-storey site in the city’s upmarket shopping district.

Located on the affluent Orchard Road, the new shop — easily distinguished by its iconic glass facade — is expected to be one of the most popular Apple stores in the world according to the US tech giant.

Hundreds of shoppers camped out in anticipation of the launch, while more than a thousand thronged the store soon after the doors opened, an AFP reporter observed.

Apple, which has a staggering $256.8 billion cash stockpile, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. Most of its earnings come from the iPhone, which faces increasingly tough competition in a saturated market.

The tech behemoth has almost 500 stores globally with more than a million visitors daily. Aside from Singapore, its Asia shops are located in Hong Kong, China and Japan.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2017