Australian Macworld Event - Retail Store


If you've been visiting AppleTalk for the past few weeks, you'd know that Apple Australia recently appeared to invite then un-invite Australian Mac users to an "Australian Macworld Event". Originally, it was speculated that this would be an event to announce the Australian iTunes Music Store. Not long after this, it became aparent that the event was for "business partners only", and as an Apple rep told me "the event is only open to Apple authorised resellers." So asking myself why Apple would lock the general public out of a launch of the iTunes Music Store, I began to investigate...

It would seem that Apple have something more important to tell Australian resellers than "we're releasing a music store". I'd suggest it would be something more along the lines of "We're setting up shop, prepare for some competition."

Appleinsider reported today that "Apple this year will heat up its retail presence in the land of Oz, offering its own stores while enlisting help from several existing retailers."

AppleTalk sources mentioned that Apple are likely to open two initial stores in Melbourne and Sydney, and with the 'Macworld event' being held in Sydney it would be fair to suggest that Apple plan for the Sydney store to be the main Australian one.

The Australian Macworld Event will take place at the Westin Hotel in Sydney at 3:30pm on January 12 - just after Steve Jobs' Keynote.

We have a thread on this topic in our forums.

I hope we are still getting iTMS. iTMS and a retil store would be awesome. I wonder where abouts they would put the store? George Street?

i would have thought pitt street would have been a good candidate, though i would guess that next byte would want it as far away from clarence st as possible...!?

it would have to be quite high profile to fit in with other store openings (ie regent st in london)

hmmm.... they could atleast open one here in perth.

but this is really cool. if i had money i'd fly over for th opening if this is true.

So, has anyone spotted any suspiciously draped buildings around either city?

If there going to Open up One in Melbourne, here are quite a few places they could do so. These could be.

The QV, This new Complex would be perfect to house an Apple Store with still planty of Gaint Retail Spots still up for grabs, it could be built here

Melbourne Central. Currently Undergoing Renovation, There are over 7 Floors of shopping but there are only shops on 5 out of these 7. Apple could intoriduce there own Floor.

There is also many other areas in Melbourne where one could open, these inclide Southbank (Where the Eureka Tower, is been Built), Swanston Street, Bourke Street, or even over at Docklands i Highly Doubt.

What does Sydney Residents think, Where would there store open up, Take into considertation that your Store will be bigger then Melbourne Store (I am hoping not)
and current locations!

apple will want an building that is most likely on a corner and if not it would definatly have to have a street facing window and probably a 1 story building

I reckon it would be cool if the shop was in Southbank, in Freshwater Place or Eureka Tower and you can see the Apple logo from Flinders Street Station

The Melbourne GPO would have been a great spot.

I'll be surprised if the Mini Stores don't branch out to the other states (assuming this is true ofcourse).

If they're anything like the SF one the stores will mostly get used by leechers wanting free net access to chat/check email, or get free wi-fi. :huh:

The lead article is incorrect in that it states that Apple Australia invited & then uninvited the public to the Macworld briefing in Sydney. The event was ALWAYS for the Australian Apple channel ONLY.

It just happens that the Apple reseller registration page was leaked to the outside media who seized on it and so the rumour furore has grown.

Apple have already told the reseller channel that the retail stores will eventually come to Australia so there's no real surprise there. If it doesn't get announced tomorrow it is only a matter of time.

you calling me a leacher Tom? i'll be at the Store tonight to get some downloading done and to keep an eye on MWSF via our irc..

anyway, with all this speculation - best check out this site which is maintained by a bunch of crazy American Apple fans who follow Retail Store Openings around the globe - see: www.ifoapplestore.com, though his suggestion that Bondi junction would be a good spot for a Sydney store is a little strange.. i'll stick with Pitt Street - these guys don't mess about when they build them!

i saw these guys at the front of the queue at the London Store opening, which some of them flew to from San Francisco!

hard core!