DUBAI - Apple will be opening its third store in the United Arab Emirates at Dubai Mall, sited next to the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, this Thursday (April 27, 8pm, Singapore time).
Select media were invited for a sneak preview of the store, also known as Apple Dubai Mall. It takes up two levels and has a 57m curved store front and balcony overlooking the 828m-tall Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain, the world's largest dancing fountain.
The Dubai Mall is the world's biggest shopping mall with an area of 12 million square feet, or 12 times the size of local shopping mall Vivocity.
Envisioned as a space for the local community to gather, learn and be entertained, Apple Dubai Mall will serve as a venue to watch the daily spectacular evening fountain shows.
To mitigate Dubai's hot climate, 18 specialised 11.4m-tall high motorised "Solar Wings" are utilised on its glass facade facing the Dubai Fountain. When the sun is at its hottest, they cool the store, and in the evenings they open to welcome everyone to the public balcony.
"We view our stores as a modern-day town square, where visitors come to shop, be inspired, learn, or connect with others in their community," said Miss Angela Ahrendts, Apple's senior vice-president of retail, who was at Apple Dubai Mall, to announce "Today at Apple".
Apple is launching dozens of new educational sessions on topics, such as photography, music and coding, next month in all of its 495 Apple Stores.
These free hands-on sessions, collectively called "Today at Apple", will be led by highly-trained creative professionals, and in select cities, by world-class artists, photographers and musicians.
Miss Ahrendts cited an example using the Dubai Mall store: "You can sign up for a photo walk. The creative pro will take you to the fountains, show you how to shoot the fountains, and bring you back here and show you how to edit them," she said.
At the same time, The Straits Times understands that the Apple Store at Orchard Road will be opening soon. Singaporeans will then be able to benefit from these free sessions.
