SINGAPORE: The local community, and the talent within, will be a key focus for the first Apple Store in Singapore, which opens on Saturday (May 27).
According to Ms Ashley Middleton, who heads the programming for Today at Apple – an initiative offering hands-on educational sessions at the company’s stores – the goal is to highlight the local talent, through various categories and their passions.
One of the staff at Apple Orchard Road giving a demo of how to better use the camera function on the iPhone. (Photo: Howard Law)
In Singapore, the immediate focus will be on photography, film, coding, music, art and design, she told Channel NewsAsia on Thursday during a media preview.
This can be seen by the programmes lined up on the opening day, with Singapore Idol 3 winner Sezairi Sezali holding an acoustic performance as well as photo walks with photographer Chua Aik Beng, Ms Middleton pointed out.
Live trees take up prominent spots within the store – to provide a sense of nature as well as rest spots for those weary. (Photo: Howard Law)
Coding for children will also take prominence, the Apple executive added, with the Swift programming language – designed specially for the tech giant – to be taught. These sessions are catered to children from the ages of eight to 12, but during the launch of Today at Apple in the US, Ms Middleton said kids as young as four have taken part in the sessions.
The aim is to have one to two new local talent coming in to the store every week to hold these educational sessions, she said.
Art and design will be one of the main areas of focus for Today at Apple – the initiative to bring educational sessions to Cupertino’s brick-and-mortar stores. (Photo: Howard Law)
The sessions will be held on the second floor of Apple Orchard Road store at Knightsbridge Mall, in a space called the Forum, which is equipped with a large screen and break-out tables for hands-on sessions. There are also live trees brought in from China that take prominent positions in the store. These provide shade and rest areas for participants of the sessions, as well as customers looking at the merchandise on the first floor.
iPads and other products on display in Apple’s first store in Singapore and Southeast Asia. (Photo: Howard Law)
