The Future of Apple Retail In Pictures

The Apple Retail Store in Brussels (pictured) was clearly a testing ground for these new ideas.

News: Apple has just unwrapped its all-new Union Square Apple Retail Store in San Francisco. The store offers, “many new features and services rolling out to Apple retail stores worldwide,” the corporation points out in its PR.

The way the release reads it appears some of Apple’s top brass have been working hard at putting together the next ten years of Apple retail, with Angela Ahrendts and Sir Jonathan Ive both involved.  “It all starts with the storefront — taking transparency to a whole new level — where the building blends the inside and the outside, breaking down barriers and making it more egalitarian and accessible,” says Ive. You can read more here.

Inspired by everyone else who is doing it, I explored Twitter to find a few images that show what the future of Apple retail looks like. Take a look and read the Apple Press Release here.

NB: Coming up in the next few weeks the usual motley crew of analysts and mavericks with their usual witless critical account of Apple’s new stores [file most of that under ‘Ignore’]. Me? I do like buildings with trees, and I’m a fan of renewable energy. Also coming soon, “30-years of Apple’s boiler plate statement”. These days they want to leave the world a better place.

Here’s some pictures of the new stores. Thanks to everyone.

Share your own in comments.

Massive sliding glass doors opening, press preview of global flagship Apple Store in Union Square, SF. 🍎👀 #curbed pic.twitter.com/JIzz6iOgeA

— Brock Keeling (@BrockKeeling) May 19, 2016

Case section at new SF Apple Store lets you try them out on your own phone. pic.twitter.com/4DRjzRmzvp

— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 19, 2016

Giant sliding bay doors slowly open at Apple’s new Union Square location, which opens Saturday. pic.twitter.com/zf9MgssXsd

— Jessica Floum (@jfloum) May 19, 2016

Views and video wall pic.twitter.com/eYVrzDEREY

— Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) May 19, 2016

LIVE on #Periscope: I’m walking around the new San Francisco “global flagship” Apple Store. https://t.co/PGZCDssivS

— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 19, 2016

Apple previews San Fran Union Square store w/ revamped design & ‘Genius Grove’ ahead… https://t.co/HH7k41SOXH pic.twitter.com/wQRk0rsmpX

— Apple News (@headlinesapple) May 19, 2016

The public plaza and Genius Grove pic.twitter.com/4XuU2P0FMr

— Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) May 19, 2016

Apple redid the aging park behind the store, restored the 1969 fountain there, and will sponsor music acts. pic.twitter.com/0wzl7llQpo

— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 19, 2016

Second floor of the new SF Apple Store has the Forum, a big space for education. pic.twitter.com/OHUdizCgCQ

— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 19, 2016

Retail chief Angela Ahrendts is in front of a giant screen showing an Apple Store, inside this giant Apple Store pic.twitter.com/QjjcfmYtUi

— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 19, 2016

The most striking thing about the new SF Apple Store: It’s got so much glass it almost feels like it’s outdoors. pic.twitter.com/OBK9Do6Hur

— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 19, 2016

The new Genius Grove is debuting in the SF Apple Store – replaces ‘crowded, noisy ‘ Bars in ‘Significant’ stores pic.twitter.com/wOgqiXnhq5

— Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) May 19, 2016

Another new Apple Store feature is called The Boardroom – this is aimed specifically at small business customers pic.twitter.com/HOXHJpRiks

— Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) May 19, 2016

The doors are 42 ft and open 40 ft wide – and they’re on both sides of the store. The back opens on a public plaza. pic.twitter.com/fJ0kLSxV3e

— Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) May 19, 2016