Apple rounds out September quarter with 7 retail openings
Apple finished up its September quarter this weekend with a coordinated retail rollout, opening seven stores across four continents.
After leading off the weekend with high-profile openings in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Apple opened retail stores in Italy, France, Australia, Canada and the U.S.
New Haven
The company's new store in New Haven, Conn., arises out of a unique partnership with Yale University. The commercial property business arm of the university has remodeled the Yale Bookstore, which operates as a partnership with Barnes & Noble, earlier this year to make space for an official Apple Store.
The location's opening on Saturday morning drew a crowd that stretched down the block, with Herbie J. Zampano, the first customer in line, having waited since Tuesday afternoon, according to Yale Daily News.
?I am here to be a part of the festivities,? said Zampano. ?I was accidentally at the grand opening of an Apple Store in New York, and while this is smaller and different, this is just as impressive.?
Customers wait for the New Haven, Conn., Apple Store to open. Credit: James Lu/Yale Daily News.
Apple's partnership with Yale's University Properties may resemble a similar relationship that the company has with Stanford University. In 2004, Apple unveiled its mini-store design at the Stanford Shopping Center. The university owns the land occupied by the mall, though not the buildings or stores.
Centro Sicilia
The Apple Store in Catania, Italy also drew a large crowd when it opened on Saturday. Macitynet was on hand for the opening, noting hundreds of excited customers at the event.
The Centro Sicilia mall recently made headlines when it was discovered that a wall at a Samsung "shop in shop" retail outlet within the mall displayed Apple's proprietary icons for the App Store and Mobile Safari. SetteB.IT (via Google Translate) notes that the app-themed walls are actually from retailer Euronics, which operates the larger store that the Samsung mini-shop is located in.
Parly 2
Apple opened its fifth store in the Paris region and its ninth location in France on Saturday. The Parly 2 store is located west of Paris in Le Chesnay.
According to French Mac site MacGeneration, at least several hundred customers were in line for the opening.
Parly 2 Apple Store opening in France. Credit: La Pomme Croquée via Flickr.
Westfield Hornsby
Your Tech Life covered the Apple Store opening in Hornsby, Australia, noting "big crowds" that snaked along the western wing of the shopping center. The store is located in a suburb outside of Sydney and joins five Apple stores in the Sydney Metro area. Apple now operates 13 stores in Australia.
Westfield Hornsby Apple Store opening. Credit: Trevor Long/Your Tech Life.
Metrotown
The Apple Store Metrotown opened up in Burnaby, British Columbia. The shop is Metro Vancouver's fourth location and the 22nd in Canada.
iPhoneinCanada.ca notes the relatively close proximity of Apple retail stores in Vancouver, as they are all within a few miles of each other.
Metrotown Apple Store. Credit: Matty Yip.
Apple's retail push comes just weeks ahead of several major product releases expected this fall. The company will reportedly unveil its next-generation iPhone at a media event on Oct. 4, while iOS 5 and iCloud are also scheduled for a fall release.
After leading off the weekend with high-profile openings in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Apple opened retail stores in Italy, France, Australia, Canada and the U.S.
New Haven
The company's new store in New Haven, Conn., arises out of a unique partnership with Yale University. The commercial property business arm of the university has remodeled the Yale Bookstore, which operates as a partnership with Barnes & Noble, earlier this year to make space for an official Apple Store.
The location's opening on Saturday morning drew a crowd that stretched down the block, with Herbie J. Zampano, the first customer in line, having waited since Tuesday afternoon, according to Yale Daily News.
?I am here to be a part of the festivities,? said Zampano. ?I was accidentally at the grand opening of an Apple Store in New York, and while this is smaller and different, this is just as impressive.?
Customers wait for the New Haven, Conn., Apple Store to open. Credit: James Lu/Yale Daily News.
Apple's partnership with Yale's University Properties may resemble a similar relationship that the company has with Stanford University. In 2004, Apple unveiled its mini-store design at the Stanford Shopping Center. The university owns the land occupied by the mall, though not the buildings or stores.
Centro Sicilia
The Apple Store in Catania, Italy also drew a large crowd when it opened on Saturday. Macitynet was on hand for the opening, noting hundreds of excited customers at the event.
The Centro Sicilia mall recently made headlines when it was discovered that a wall at a Samsung "shop in shop" retail outlet within the mall displayed Apple's proprietary icons for the App Store and Mobile Safari. SetteB.IT (via Google Translate) notes that the app-themed walls are actually from retailer Euronics, which operates the larger store that the Samsung mini-shop is located in.
Parly 2
Apple opened its fifth store in the Paris region and its ninth location in France on Saturday. The Parly 2 store is located west of Paris in Le Chesnay.
According to French Mac site MacGeneration, at least several hundred customers were in line for the opening.
Parly 2 Apple Store opening in France. Credit: La Pomme Croquée via Flickr.
Westfield Hornsby
Your Tech Life covered the Apple Store opening in Hornsby, Australia, noting "big crowds" that snaked along the western wing of the shopping center. The store is located in a suburb outside of Sydney and joins five Apple stores in the Sydney Metro area. Apple now operates 13 stores in Australia.
Westfield Hornsby Apple Store opening. Credit: Trevor Long/Your Tech Life.
Metrotown
The Apple Store Metrotown opened up in Burnaby, British Columbia. The shop is Metro Vancouver's fourth location and the 22nd in Canada.
iPhoneinCanada.ca notes the relatively close proximity of Apple retail stores in Vancouver, as they are all within a few miles of each other.
Metrotown Apple Store. Credit: Matty Yip.
Apple's retail push comes just weeks ahead of several major product releases expected this fall. The company will reportedly unveil its next-generation iPhone at a media event on Oct. 4, while iOS 5 and iCloud are also scheduled for a fall release.
Comments
Okay, I've complained several times here about Apple not opening any stores in India. Turns out it's not because Apple is somehow dissing India. It's actually, stupid Indian rules and bureaucracy.
apple stores do sell other brand products eg software and accesories so they should be able to set up a store in india, if any of those products actually come from indian companies..... maybe the problem lies with no indian companies making apple goods rather than apple not sharing store space.
Okay, I've complained several times here about Apple not opening any stores in India. Turns out it's not because Apple is somehow dissing India. It's actually, stupid Indian rules and bureaucracy.
This is no different than the rules in China. By law, no one can run any sort of business in China without a mainland Chinese partnership (co-ownership) in place. If Apple is willing and able to do it in China, then they could do it in India.
This is no different than the rules in China. By law, no one can run any sort of business in China without a mainland Chinese partnership (co-ownership) in place. If Apple is willing and able to do it in China, then they could do it in India.
What are the consequences of this for each store in China? I'd be interested to know because I've heard Apple say their Chinese stores were their most profitable.
There are no such rules in Ireland, I'm still waiting for Apple's excuse. Dublin could handle 3 or 4 stores easily. Cork could handle 2 or 3. And a few more Counties could handle 1 each no problem, like Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Kerry and Kilkenny.
apple stores do sell other brand products eg software and accesories so they should be able to set up a store in india, if any of those products actually come from indian companies..... maybe the problem lies with no indian companies making apple goods rather than apple not sharing store space.
Interesting... I don't know why Apple hasn't gone strong into India yet. It is still under Apple South Asia (Singapore) which is in charge of India and South East Asia... FWIW.
Up to as late as end of 2004 there was no official Apple presence in Australia. Now they've blown the door wide open.
We now have 2 Apple store in Glasgow, UK. They are great places to be. Wish I knew about the newest one as I was offered my redundancy and would have taken it if I could have got a job at an Apple store.
There's always next time.
That's 9 Stores in 6 countries then.
This is great news for consumers.
Westfield Hornsby is a shrewd choice; next to a important rail hub at the northern end of greater Sydney and in an area full of wealthy SE Asian- and Chinese Australian consumers. As a supporter of public transport, I like the way Apple (by design or not) has put its stores near busy train stations.
What are the consequences of this for each store in China? I'd be interested to know because I've heard Apple say their Chinese stores were their most profitable.
There are no such rules in Ireland, I'm still waiting for Apple's excuse. Dublin could handle 3 or 4 stores easily. Cork could handle 2 or 3. And a few more Counties could handle 1 each no problem, like Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Kerry and Kilkenny.
Apple will not open in Ireland as the market is seen as too small. Compu b are the official 'Apple Stores' in Ireland and thats the nearest we can expect/get to an official Apple store. Their stores were designed and spec'd by Apple directly, the same as an Apple Retail store. And they have 2 stores in Dublin and 1 in Cork and 1 in Limerick.
http://compub.com/?page_id=13
And trust me, Dublin might be able to handle 1 more store, but definitely not Cork or Limerick.
After that Galway might be an option but nowhere else would make sense.
apple stores do sell other brand products eg software and accesories so they should be able to set up a store in india, if any of those products actually come from indian companies..... maybe the problem lies with no indian companies making apple goods rather than apple not sharing store space.
Of course Apple sells other products in their stores. I think the point is that Apple wants full control over the design/environment of their stores, which they can't do if they're forced into some kind of Apple/Reliance partnership. Apple is all about their brand and brand identity (I'm not criticizing them for this. Brand identity is very important). Part of the Apple brand is "We do things our way" (again, not a criticism), which can't be maintained if some other "partner" is looking over their shoulder all the time.
This is no different than the rules in China. By law, no one can run any sort of business in China without a mainland Chinese partnership (co-ownership) in place. If Apple is willing and able to do it in China, then they could do it in India.
Hmmmm. That's interesting. I wonder how Apple maintains control of their stores then? China is a strange country?they're the last remaining "Communist" country (well, there's Cuba also, but anyway...), and yet they've fully embraced capitalism. So, I think in the case of Apple, it would seem they're willing to bend some rules because Apple is a global brand now, and Apple's presence makes China look better.
India is, well, more complicated. They so badly want to enter the 21st century, because all the "cool kids" are doing it! But bureaucracy and corruption stand in the way. The people in power simply can't see beyond their lust for more power. So they make ridiculous, short-sighted rules and regulations that make it virtually impossible for people to do legitimate business. There are all sorts of stories about how international businesses and investors are staying away from India because it's so difficult to get anything done. I guess Apple is one of them. Sigh.
There are all sorts of stories about how international businesses and investors are staying away from India because it's so difficult to get anything done. I guess Apple is one of them. Sigh.
Dont know as every time I phone Apple (or any other company), i'm always put through to an Indian call centre.
Dont know as every time I phone Apple (or any other company), i'm always put through to an Indian call centre.
LOL! Well, call centers, sure, because it's cheap labor, low risk and low overhead. But I'm talking about businesses engaging in projects that require complex logistics and lots of infrastructure, as well as limited government interference.
I know that Quark, Adobe, Google, Microsoft and all sorts of other companies have call centers in India. I wasn't aware that Apple support calls were also routed to India.