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A store that sells Nothing will open in London this year
Nothing is opening its first retail store in London in time for the holidays.
Apple begins arming store managers with anti-union talking points
As workers at some of its Stores attempt to unionize, Apple is reportedly giving talking points to managers to tamp those efforts down.
A major UK grocery chain is testing Amazon's cashier-free shopping tech
The UK grocery chain Sainsbury's will be the first to license Amazon's cashier-free tech outside the US, using it for a London store.
Apple restores the dedicated 'Store' tab to its website
After going down briefly earlier today, Apple's website has returned with a new design that reintroduces a "Store" tab .
Target will open mini Apple stores to attract post-pandemic shoppers
Target is opening mini Apple stores to keep customers coming long after non-essential shopping is safe again.
Huawei restores Tencent games to its Chinese app store after dispute
Huawei has pulled Tencent games like Arena of Valor from its app store because of a “big change” Tencent made in how the companies work together.
Microsoft closes all of its stores due to coronavirus risk
Microsoft is closing its store locations around the world in response to the escalating coronavirus outbreak. In an email to customers, the company said, "We are closing Microsoft Store locations to help protect the health and safety of our customers and employees. During this unprecedented time, the best way we can serve you is to do everything we can to help minimize the risk of the virus spreading." Microsoft also said it will continue to pay employees for their regularly scheduled hours.
Walmart and Verizon may turn stores into 5G hubs
It might not be long before your 5G phone is helpful during your next shopping trip. Wall Street Journal sources say Walmart and Verizon (Engadget's parent company) are in talks to equip stores with 5G service, starting with a pair of stores this year. The faster wireless data would help Walmart launch digital health services that it only recently started exploring, such as video chats with doctors and real-time medical data. It could also share your medical data with the clinic to auto-register when you arrive at the store and tell staff to restock any products you pick up during your stay.
Apple will open its first India retail store in 2021
If Apple is going to keep iPhone sales going in a market that's cooling down, it may have to court regions where it previously hasn't sold well -- and it appears poised to do just that. CEO Tim Cook told attendees at Apple's annual shareholder meeting that the company would start selling its products online in India later in 2020, and would open its first official retail store in the country in 2021. The tech firm was waiting for government approval to run the branded stores itself rather than relying on a local partner. Apple doesn't want "somebody else to run the brand for us," Cook explained.
You can now buy PS4 consoles and accessories directly from Sony
As of today, you can purchase PS4 consoles, physical games and accessories directly from Sony. The company has just launched its own dedicated store, meaning you'll no longer be directed to retailers like GameStop. Unfortunately, goods will only be available to consumers in the US. But Sony says the store will help fans around the world discover products and compare the prices of other retailers.
GameStop to close up to 200 stores
Just two months after GameStop announced ambitious plans to breathe new life into its stores, the company has announced that between 180 and 200 stores around the world will be closing their doors for good before the year is out -- and more closures are coming.
Razer's largest store yet opens in Las Vegas on September 7th
Soon, you won't have to make a pilgrimage to San Francisco if you're determined to visit a Razer store in the US. The gaming giant is opening its largest store yet, and just its second in the US, at The LINQ Promenade in Las Vegas on September 7th. The shop (not yet pictured) will span 2,400 square feet across two floors, and it'll once again be characterized as a "gaming hangout" that serves as both a social space and a place for Razer to hawk its wares. The lower floor will have 10 gaming stations to host esports tourneys, while the mezzanine above will have a streaming "lounge" for online broadcasters.
Microsoft's first UK store opens in London on July 11th
It's been several years in the making, but Microsoft has finally announced an opening date for its flagship store in London. Its first physical retail premises in the UK will open to the general public on July 11th in Oxford Circus, covering 21,932 square feet over three floors.
eBay opens QR code-powered shop in the UK
Today, eBay opened a brick and mortar concept store in the UK's Wolverhampton. The month-long retail experiment will offer wares from 40 small, local businesses and will host a series of free, interactive workshops. While eBay has opened pop-ups before, this is the first of its kind in the UK, and it's meant to test how physical and online retail might work together.
Tencent 's game store is available outside of China
Just because China's Tencent owns a stake in Epic Games (not to mention other game publishers) doesn't preclude it from offering an international game store of its own. The tech giant has launched a Hong Kong-based WeGame X service that's accessible worldwide, including in English (available through a drop-down menu), through both the web as well as a dedicated client. It'll seem familiar if you've used the Epic Games Store or other Steam-like services, although it's not about to give those heavyweights much reason for concern in its current state.
Amazon aims to open checkout-free Go stores in office lobbies
The current nature of Amazon's no-checkout Go stores seems tailor-made for grabbing a quick bite to eat during a break from work, and the company is determined to seize on that opportunity. It just opened a tiny (450 square feet) Go store inside one of its Seattle offices to promote a version of its retail tech for building lobbies, hospitals and other places where you might want to rush in for a salad or sandwich. It's not only more economically viable for these spaces, it's easy to set up -- you can cart in pieces and "assemble it on site," Amazon's Gianna Puerini told Reuters.
Epic Games will take on Steam with its own digital store
Buoyed by Fortnite's phenomenal success over the last year or so, Epic Games is launching its own digital store to take on the likes of Steam, EA's Origin and Blizzard's Battle.net. However, Epic is giving developers a higher revenue share than most of its competitors. Much like creators who sell items through the Unreal Engine Marketplace, developers will keep 88 percent of revenue and Epic will take a 12 percent cut.
Nike's new NYC flagship store is fueled by its mobile app
New York City's 5th Avenue shopping district is home to iconic brands like Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Versace and Adidas, but for the past few months a big member of that list has been missing: Nike. The company closed its flagship NikeTown store at the end of 2017, reportedly in part because it didn't want to be a tenant of the Trump Organization. But Nike never planned to leave 5th Avenue for good, and now it's back with a 68,000-square-foot, six-story space called the "House of Innovation 000." The store, which opened today, was designed with the Nike app in mind -- in what the company is calling a blueprint for its future retail locations.
Amazon's new retail store only stocks items rated 4 stars and up
Amazon isn't limiting its New York City retail openings to its checkout-free Go store. It's launching Amazon 4-star, a shop devoted solely to products in popular categories that are either rated four stars or higher, top sellers or "new and trending" on the Amazon website. You'll also see sections inside the store that focus on recommendations you usually see at the online store, including Most-Wished For, Frequently Bought Together and (of course) Amazon Exclusives. E-paper price tags will show you both the regular and discounted Prime pricing, and you'll even see cards that quote online reviews.
Google might finally sell Pixel devices at retail stores
Google has morphed into a serious hardware company. It's set to launch new Pixel 3 phones , Pixel Buds and a wearOS smartwatch, and currently sells lines of Daydream VR headsets, Pixelbooks, Home, Chromecast and Nest products. With all that, it's hard to believe Google has never had a retail store, but that might change soon. It's planning a two-level shop in a 14,000 square foot building at Fulton Market District, near its headquarters in Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune.
