No details were revealed about the size of the stores or the investment involved.
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The Dubai store is restrained and striking – plenty of oak, huge slick screens with products swooping across them, looming glass doors and – the pièce de résistance – natural trees lined down the centre of the store (unfortunately, they appear not to be apple trees).
The last time two stores opened in one country in one day?
Beckman confirmed that the new openings would bring the total number of Apple stores worldwide to 466 across 17 countries.
The store, located in the Mall of the Emirates, will be the first Apple Store to open in the United Arab Emirates when it opens at 4pm on the 29th, but UAE residents won’t have long to wait for the second: the Abu Dhabi store opens just three hours later at 7pm the same day.
A key point of difference in this market is the staff and their level of training – the two stores boast 150 employees from 30 different countries who speak 40 different languages. Despite rumors that the Dubai location would become the largest Apple Store in the world, members of the press that attended the previews have shown that it will not be almost as big as predicted.
Interestingly, the Dubai store has 10 trees in it, and two living walls that have a variety of small plants growing on them. Beckman also confirmed that Apple will hold ladies-only workshops.
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“We’ll be offering our signature services that we offer all over the world”, said Beckman, adding that a few of those included personal set-up of devices, free workshops and Genius Bar appointments.
