Apple's new futuristic store in San Francisco includes 42-foot-tall doors (12.8-meter) that require 10 minutes to open, living trees in the renamed Genius Bar, and $1.5 million video wall. The new store is located across the city's famous Union Square Park. It also features free Wi-Fi and a restored fountain from Bay Area sculptor Ruth Asawa.
The new Apple store opened on May 21, Saturday. Its huge 6K video screen is located on the second floor, while a 50-foot (15.2-meter) green wall is found in the 24-hour backyard "forum."
Apple has a few reasons for building such an ornate store. They include the large size of the shop and the steps the iPhone, iPad, and Mac maker is willing to make to inspire customers.
The San Francisco Apple shop was designed with the UK firm Fosters and Partners, according to The Verge. It is the tech company's new West Coast flagship store.
Angela Ahrendts is Apple's senior vice president of retail. She explained that the company's new outlet sets Apple's standard for future retail stores. It is a type of "town square" that represents the company joining the community.
It is unclear if the brick-and-mortar stores will ever earn the same revenue as the company's online store. However, the company's physical stores have had a big effect on major cities throughout the world, which includes its 5th Avenue glass cube in New York City.
The new San Francisco store includes many changes. For example, Apple is launching "windows." The displays are switched as the seasons change and include themes such as iPhone photography, iOS apps, and Apple Music.
Meanwhile, the company's Genius Bar where companies can make appointments for hands-on customer service is now the Genius Grove. It features real trees and open spaces.
In related news, Google has plans to challenge the mobile market and Apple's iPhone app store. Android Instant Apps was previewed at Google's I/O developer conference, according to Business Insider.
Google hopes to replace the idea of the App Store and return to a web-based app store model. Android Instant lets users access an Android app or only a part of it even if the software is not installed on their phone.