Cupertino preparing new stores, most likely in China

May 8, 2016 07:20 GMT  ·  By

Apple is working on setting up its next-generation store design and new patents granted in China provide us with a glimpse into what the new locations could look like.

As spotted by PatentlyApple, the iPhone maker has been granted no less than 8 design patents in China, confirming that the company is indeed planning an overhaul of its retail network in the country. Recently, CEO Tim Cook revealed that opening five new stores in China this year is a priority for the firm, so this new design could be used for at least some of them, if not for all.

First and foremost, it’s worth noting that these patents do not come with a description, so all we got were these drawings indicating what the new stores could look like.

All-glass design

But as you can see, Apple’s aiming for a modern look with large pane swing doors, a large display placed on the back wall right in the center, plus the newest products placed right in front, so they’ll be the first things every visitor sees when stepping inside.

While this sounds a lot like the current approach that Apple is using for its stores, it’s worth noting that the back gigantic display will play a key role in the new design, as it’ll be used to promote the company’s latest products, but also to show ads and videos that could help entice visitors to buy devices.

For the moment, it’s not yet clear whether this design is exclusive to China or Apple wants to use it in other locations across the world as well, but more information should be provided in the coming months as the company is likely to open the first one very soon.

Also, Apple could share more on this approach at the WWDC conference in June, although the focus is likely to be on new products, such as the next versions of iOS and Mac OS X.

A large screen will be placed on the back wall
A large screen will be placed on the back wall

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The new design showing up in China patents
A large screen will be placed on the back wall
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