Apple Store Mexico
At least one of Apple's planned Mexico City stores is expected to take on the design style of its retail locations launched in Brussels and Dubai. Pictured: Employees speak to guests during the press preview of the first Belgian Apple Store in Brussels on Sept. 17, 2015 ahead of its Sept. 19 opening. Nicolas Maeterlinck/AFP/Getty Images

Latin America is the next stop for the Apple Store. The iPhone maker is preparing for retail expansion south of the border, starting with Mexico City, according to an unnamed source speaking to MacRumors.

The first of Apple's new stores is expected to open in Centro Santa Fe, the largest shopping mall in Latin America. A second location will also open in Mexico City and is expected to take on the redesigned looks of recently launched Apple Stores in Dubai and Brussels. This location is also anticipated to serve as Apple’s flagship store in the country, similar to the role of Apple’s Fifth Avenue shop in New York City.

While this would be the first retail presence for Apple in Mexico, It’s not the first time it has dipped its toes in the region. In 2014, Apple launched its first Latin American store in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. A year later it followed up with a second store in São Paulo. Additional stores are also planned for Peru, Chile and Argentina.

Apple’s store expansions come as it looks for new ways to drive revenue in the wake of an anticipated global smartphone market cooldown, largely driven by China. Global annual shipment growth is expected to slow to 9.8 percent for 2015 for a total of 1.43 billion units, a huge decline from 2014, when growth came in at 27.6 percent, according to IDC.

How much that has affected Apple's iPhone sales will be revealed soon. The company is expected report its all-important holiday quarter results on Jan. 26 after markets close, followed by a conference call at 2 p.m. PST/5 p.m. EST.

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