The iPad's official launch in nine additional countries has drawn lines of prospective buyers in certain locations. Customers are reportedly camping out in London, Tokyo, and Sydney, among other cities. Apple Stores in the UK will open an hour early, at 8am, to accommodate the influx of customers picking up pre-ordered devices or placing new orders.
The grand opening for Apple's second retail store in Australia is set for Saturday morning in Sydney, according to an announcement. A celebration is planned, with free t-shirts for the first 1,000 people through the door. The Chatswood Chase opening comes less than a month after that of Australia's flagship store, which is found elsewhere in Sydney on George Street. A third store is currently under construction in Melbourne.
Apple has taken the wraps off of its soon-to-be-opened Sydney store, exposing details of its construction. The building has three floors, and uses a glass facade similar to that of the Boston Apple Store, which in turn makes reference to the company's flagship Fifth Avenue location in New York City. Internal photos show extensive display areas for products like the iMac and the MacBook, and backlit promotional images that dominate their corresponding rooms.
Mac fans in Australia have more than just tomorrow’s Keynote to look forward to, as the country’s first Apple Store opens later this month. The Sydney Morning Herald says the store will be one of only three in the world spread out over three stories, that it will house the largest "Genius Bar" in the world, and that will offer Apple's Pro Lab service, which provides in-depth training to professional users (Pro Lab services are only available in two other Apple Stores - at one of its flagship stores in New York and in the recently opened Boston flagship store). In an exclusive interview with the newspaper, Apple’s Senior Vice President Ron Johnson said it will be "a breathtaking store,” with some sort of secret architectural feature taking up a significant amount of floor space.
Work on Apple's flagship retail store for Australia has been completed, says a local publication. The shop, located at the corner of George and King in Sydney, is said to merely be awaiting a handover to Apple at the end of the week, which could signal that it will be open in the very near future. Apple has a number of tasks remaining, primarily cleaning and outfitting the store, as well as filling stock; it is rumored though that this may be complete in time for an opening on June 19th, which could also allow it to launch with the 3G iPhone.
Further progress is being made on Apple's flagship Australian store, a MacNN source says. Located on the corner of George and King in Sydney, the store now has a large blue billboard, asking city residents to "drop in soon." Previously, the site had only a uniform black shelter. Also a part of the new exterior is an illustrated wave of iPod nanos, spiraling out towards the viewer.
Various images have emerged for two of Apple's major new retail locations: the Boylston Street store in Boston, Massachusetts, and the first store in Sydney, Australia, located on the corner of George and King Streets. The Boylston store should open this Thursday at 6PM, and is comprised of three floors and 20,000 square feet. As the photo below reveals, Apple has also chosen to go with a glass exterior reminiscent of the flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City.
Apple has added a third store to its opening roster for Australia for this year. The company now plans to debut two stores in Sydney in the CBD and in Chatswood and another in Chadstone, Victoria. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Apple is now putting the finishing touches on its three-level flagship store in the Sydney CBD, located on the corner of George Street and King Street. That store will reportedly sport the transparent glass edifice made famous at other flagship stores, along with a large, white suspended Apple logo. Sydney's store will also feature a glass staircase, which will connect the three levels. The store is expected to be open by June.
