Michael is a Creative Editor who covered Apple Retail and design on 9to5Mac. His stories highlighted the work of talented artists, designers, and customers through a unique lens of architecture, creativity, and community.
Contact Michael on Twitter to share Apple Retail, design, and history stories: @MichaelSteeber
Apple will offer Storefront service at its retail stores in England starting this Friday. The temporary pickup format will allow Apple to remain open and continue serving customers in a limited capacity during the launch of the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, even as England enters a new national lockdown.
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Apple is temporarily closing many of its 20 retail stores in France as the country prepares to re-enter a national lockdown. Temporary closures will take effect starting October 30.
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MagSafe on iPhone 12 makes possible magnetic wireless charging and new categories of innovative accessories. To showcase the technology, Apple has created interactive displays for Apple Stores around the world.
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The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are now available, and Apple is celebrating the launch with custom eye-popping displays. The larger-than-life installations are now in the front windows of a select number of Apple Stores worldwide, including fewer than a dozen locations in the US.
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The totally reimagined Apple Valley Fair opened today in Santa Clara, California, coinciding with the launch of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, the new store joins Apple’s brightest retail design ideas and latest products to create a space uniquely suited for Apple’s own backyard.
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Apple Uptown in Minneapolis closed temporarily in March due to COVID-19, but unlike over 90% of Apple’s other stores in the US, it will not reopen when conditions improve. Apple confirmed to the Star Tribune that the store has closed permanently.
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Adobe today announced the inaugural release of Aero Desktop, the long-awaited AR creation companion to Aero on iOS and iPadOS. Aero is available today in public beta as part of Adobe MAX 2020, where Adobe announced significant updates to its entire ecosystem of apps like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Illustrator, and Fresco.
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Adobe is bringing Fresco, its life-like drawing and painting app, to the iPhone. The app is available for free today as Adobe MAX 2020 kicks off online with sessions streamed to artists around the world. I talked with Adobe and an artist beta testing Fresco on the iPhone to learn why they think big ideas can come from a smaller screen.
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I use Adobe Illustrator almost every day on my Mac to create many of the graphics, podcast covers, and feature illustrations you see here on 9to5Mac. When Adobe announced last November that Illustrator was coming to iPad, I was both thrilled and a bit skeptical. Could an Apple Pencil and touch display provide the same level of precision as a keyboard and mouse? I’ve been testing Illustrator on the iPad for the past two weeks to find out.
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Express Pickup at Apple Aventura (Photo courtesy of @jgrano305)
Apple is significantly expanding its new Express Storefront pickup service to help safely serve customers in regions where full in-store service cannot resume due to COVID-19 conditions. The new accommodations arrive as Apple prepares to enter its busiest product launch season of the year. The iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 mini, new iPad Air, MagSafe accessories, and HomePod mini will all be available by mid-November.
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Today at Apple is launching online in India, bringing together a new community of creatives with artists and makers from around the world. The free, global program of creative and educational sessions is kicking off just in time for Diwali with the Illuminating Creativity Series.
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All photos courtesy of Brian King.
The new Apple Watch Hermès fall collection is featured in a fantastical, one-of-a-kind display at Apple Park Visitor Center. Apple updates the store’s displays seasonally with designs exclusive to its campus location, and this fall’s Apple Watch installation is the most impressive yet.
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Update: The all-new Apple Valley Fair opens on October 23 at 8:00 a.m.
A totally redesigned and expanded Apple Valley Fair is almost ready to open in Santa Clara, California. The hometown store of many Apple employees and the nearest Apple Store to Cupertino outside of Apple’s campus has transformed into a showcase of Apple’s latest design. Graphics installed on the new store today read, “We’ve got something special in store for you. Our grand opening is coming soon.”
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Adobe today announced Photoshop Elements 2021 and Premiere Elements 2021, the latest releases of its easy-to-use photo and video editing tools focused on sharing. This year, Adobe is adding automated features powered by Sensei AI technology and more Guided Edits to help you express your creativity.
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Adobe today previewed a new feature coming soon to Illustrator on the desktop that will allow designers to quickly recolor their vector artwork using an existing color theme or image.
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It’s been seven months since COVID-19 fundamentally changed the way Apple Stores operate. In that time, we’ve learned to accept the realities and limitations of a new store environment. We’ve seen new ideas that work remarkably well. And we’ve even discovered parts of the store experience that are nicer now than before the pandemic.
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All photos courtesy of Dongjun Zhao.
Apple Oakridge Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia permanently closed on Saturday. The store celebrated its 11th and final anniversary just before going dark as Oakridge Centre prepares for an extensive renovation project.
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In the six years since the original Apple Watch was announced, Apple has already created 423 unique bands in dozens of colors and materials. Bandbreite, a new iPhone app launching today, catalogues every single Apple Watch band and helps you organize your personal collection.
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For the first time, Apple customers in India can now shop from the Apple Store online. Apple announced last week that its virtual doors were set to open on September 23, and the store webpage is now live.
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Today at Apple will host a week of virtual sessions this October to celebrate Day of the Girl, an international observance that recognizes the challenges girls face and promotes empowerment. The online creative sessions are a collaboration with Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization that equips young women with the technology skills they need to succeed.
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The Apple Store experience in 2020 has been defined by COVID-19 safety measures. But in the background, Apple has been steadily iterating on new ways to educate customers through improved store navigation. QR codes and NFC tags are beginning to serve an important role in how we shop and receive support.
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The Apple Watch Series 6 and SE are now available at reopened Apple Stores, and Apple has created a more personal experience for customers hoping to size the new Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands.
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Apple this week hosted two live events at its flagship store in Milan for the first time since the pandemic began. Film screenings celebrating Milano MovieWeek were held in the outdoor amphitheater at Apple Piazza Liberty, with safety measures and physical distancing enforced.
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Apple RomaEst in Italy will permanently close on October 17 as Apple prepares to open a historic flagship store in the center of Rome. The plan to close Apple’s oldest store in Italy was outlined in early January, but delays due to COVID-19 significantly impacted the progress of the project.
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