Apple Annapolis latest to get 'next generation' retail treatment

AppleInsider

Apple opened its relocated Annapolis Mall store in Maryland on Saturday with "next-generation" renovations developed under retail chief Angela Ahrendts, including a large custom TV display, interactive wooden cabinetry and a massive sales floor.

As expected, Apple Annapolis (Apple dropped the "Store" moniker earlier this week) boasts a huge 37-foot TV display that anchors all "next-generation" outlets. The custom-built installation, estimated to cost $1.5 million, was first introduced at a Memphis store in March, though the Annapolis version appears to be much thinner.

Like other "next-generation" outlets the Annapolis location features large glass panel doors that swivel open to high-flung illuminated ceilings designed to create an open atmosphere.

Populating most of the floorspace are update versions of Jony Ive's iconic wooden display tables. The tables closest to the door are filled with various iPad and iPhone models, the second row with MacBooks and Apple Watch, and the third with Mac desktops. Tables near the back of the store are reserved for Genius Bar appointments and workshops.

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As usual, display cabinetry dubbed "The Avenue" take up wall space and show off first-party accessories, Beats headphones and other accouterments.

The Annapolis store opening is Apple's second this week after the company opened an outlet in the World Trade Center's Oculus building in New York City. Ahrendts made an appearance at the event on Tuesday.

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Soli

I like the direction they're going with the stores.

ireland

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

cali

ireland said:

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

A lusting android user who can't afford anything besides cheap Apple knockoffs and McDonalds.

Soli

ireland said:

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

cali said:

ireland said:

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

A lusting android user who can't afford anything besides cheap Apple knockoffs and McDonalds.

Geez, guys. There's absolutely no reason to attack this shopper in the picture. Do you actually feel better about yourself after body shaming him?

williamh

Soli said:

ireland said:

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

Geez, guys. There's absolutely no reason to attack this shopper in the picture. Do you actually feel better about yourself after body shaming him?

The taxpayers are going to pay for his healthcare. He can cut down on the damned junk food. 

regurgitatedcoprolite

As much as I love to visit Apple (stores), I'd like to see them do something with the acoustics to minimize the noise level. Over the years, there have been many times I was talking with an Apple employee having to strain to hear and be heard. I know Apple wants there to be a "buzz" in the store, but I prefer a softer experience. Granted, I deal with some hearing loss, but the noise level can be overhwhelming at times.

I like the idea of a Genius Bar-less store. Being able to sit side-by-side with the person providing assistance sounds much more personal. 

Looking forward to seeing one of these reworked stores.

It's unkind to judge the person in the photo based upon his body shape...but since it's the Internet....

Soli

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

As much as I love to visit Apple (stores), I'd like to see them do something with the acoustics to minimize the noise level. Over the years, there have been many times I was talking with an Apple employee having to strain to hear and be heard. I know Apple wants there to be a "buzz" in the store, but I prefer a softer experience. Granted, I deal with some hearing loss, but the noise level can be overhwhelming at times.

I like the idea of a Genius Bar-less store. Being able to sit side-by-side with the person providing assistance sounds much more personal. 

Looking forward to seeing one of these reworked stores.

It's unkind to judge the person in the photo based upon his body shape...but since it's the Internet....

I would be nice to see some major advances in this area.

cwingrav

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

As much as I love to visit Apple (stores), I'd like to see them do something with the acoustics to minimize the noise level. ...

I think the higher ceilings might help? Sound absorbing foam can reduce noise but no way they're putting that on those pretty walls. Maybe they could incorporate something in that vast illuminated ceiling. Something going on there maybe? Someone that knows acoustics could give a better answer.

napoleon_phoneapart

Soli said:

ireland said:

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

Geez, guys. There's absolutely no reason to attack this shopper in the picture. Do you actually feel better about yourself after body shaming him?

I guess we're all Adonises. 

wozwoz

This is the ugliest Apple Store I've seen: it is flat, has no focal points, and is visually uninteresting. Looks like someone set up some trestle tables in their garage for some kids. This is compounded by leaving the side-walls empty:  they are the natural space to have a counter for desktops, iMacs etc  it looks uninviting to me.

saltyzip

Looks like a temporary store with those tables, like a car boot sale.

apple ][

That's a large monitor or tv for sure, but is it really 37 foot?

When you look at the first picture, with the people standing in front of that tv or screen, the people there are probably around 5-6'

Take the girl with the pink pants, and let's say that she's about 5' tall. You can lay approximately 3 of her on the diagonal of the tv, which would make it around 15'.

Is my math wrong? It could be, but 37' seems awfully large, at least based on the first picture, in my opinion.

Soli

apple ][ said:

That's a large monitor or tv for sure, but is it really 37 foot?

When you look at the first picture, with the people standing in front of that tv or screen, the people there are probably around 5-6'

Take the girl with the pink pants, and let's say that she's about 5' tall. You can lay approximately 3 of her on the diagonal of the tv, which would make it around 15'.

Is my math wrong? It could be, but 37' seems awfully large, at least based on the first picture, in my opinion.

I have no reason to doubt Apple's claim, but I can see how AI may have gotten the value wrong. I'm estimating a 12' height from floor to ceiling, with about 18" on each end for the display as seen in the 2nd image. We also have the tables between the camera and the wall to give perspective. I'd say those tables are close to 5' wide, and since there are two of them, plus the floor space, we're looking at about 18' on the horizontal. If that aspect ratio is something close to Panavision at 1:2.39, and it's about 9' tall, then it's a 20' display on the diagonal, which also matches up to my 18' width.




edit: This store in Tennessee clearly has a display that looks like it's 37'.

• http://www.technobuffalo.com/2016/03/29/jony-ive-designed-apple-store-boasts-a-massive-37-inch-display/

MacPro

Oorah

anantksundaram

williamh said:

Soli said:

Geez, guys. There's absolutely no reason to attack this shopper in the picture. Do you actually feel better about yourself after body shaming him?

The taxpayers are going to pay for his healthcare. He can cut down on the damned junk food. 

I don't know where you live, but in the US, he could very well be paying for his own health care, through private insurance. We do not have single-payer health care like most countries in the EU do. 

anantksundaram

ireland said:

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

From prior interactions, I know you live in Ireland. I think this may be important advice for you to personally consider as well, according to the WHO, if you're an Irish male: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/ireland-set-to-be-most-obese-country-in-europe-who-says-1.2201731

apple ][

Soli said:

edit: This store in Tennessee clearly has a display that looks like it's 37'.

• http://www.technobuffalo.com/2016/03/29/jony-ive-designed-apple-store-boasts-a-massive-37-inch-display/

Yes, that one looks massive, a bit larger than the display shown in the first picture in this article. The title in the link is a bit off though. I don't think that a 37 inch display qualifies as massive in this day and age.

I suppose that the large display is a part of all new 'next gen' Apple stores, but they might not all get an equally massive display like the Tennessee store.

napoleon_phoneapart

cali said:

ireland said:

Guy needs to cut down on the junk food.

A lusting android user who can't afford anything besides cheap Apple knockoffs and McDonalds.

Have you actually been in a Apple lately? Most of the customers I see in there are Comic Book Guys,

doggone

My biggest problem with the Apple Store is how long you have to wait to get an appt.  Point in question, my wife's phone started acting up right before our vacation was due to start.  I went through all the checks and had a diagnosis done by an Apple rep by phone. Essentially all I needed was five minutes at an Apple Store to get her phone swapped out.  Where I live in the Bay Area in CA, there are 3 Apple Stores within 20 miles.  In all 3, there were no appts for 5 days.
Luckily we had an old 5S that we swapped out the SIM card so she could use it during the vacation in Hawaii.  We were able to get a new phone in Honolulu but still the wait was 2 days.

I have had this experience several times now and it is frustrating that you cannot get a replacement phone simply because there are no appts. Apple really needs to fix this issue because it is extremely frustrating not to be able to get a phone replacement within 24 h of when you need it.  My suggestion is to have plenty of dedicated time slots for this so that people do not have to wait for simple fixes.

aaarrrgggh

cwingrav said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

As much as I love to visit Apple (stores), I'd like to see them do something with the acoustics to minimize the noise level. ...

I think the higher ceilings might help? Sound absorbing foam can reduce noise but no way they're putting that on those pretty walls. Maybe they could incorporate something in that vast illuminated ceiling. Something going on there maybe? Someone that knows acoustics could give a better answer.

The acoustics are a function of the glass and hard floors.  Not sure if they are putting acoustic panels on the underside of the tables, but they need a lot more focus on acoustics and good HVAC.  A few stores I have been in seem to be pushing the edge in energy efficiency... and it isn't working.