Many consider the Apple Store to be a technology Mecca of sorts, but Google is adding competition to the mix by opening its own location in the UK.
The Google “shop in shop” is stationed in a Currys PC World location on London’s Tottenham Court Road, a famous technology hub for the city.
With Google shop, consumers will have the chance to sift through Google’s variety of Android phones and tablets, Chromebook laptops and Chromecasts.
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Visitors also will have the chance to play with the latest software tools and apps from Google. Installations within the store include:
- An immersive surround screen installation called “Portal,” where shoppers can “fly” through any part of the planet via Google Earth;
- A Doodle Wall where consumers can use digital spray cans to paint their own version of the Google logo, and then share their creations on social media; and
- A Chromecast Pod where customers can use a Chromecast dongle to watch Google Play Movies, YouTube and other media channels.
“The pace of innovation of the devices we all use is incredible, yet the way we buy them has remained the same for years,” said James Elias, Head of UK Marketing at Google, in a press release. “With the Google shop, we want to offer people a place where they can play, experiment and learn about all of what Google has to offer; from an incredible range of devices to a totally connected, seamless online life. We think it’s a genuinely unique try-before-you-buy experience.”
Enhancing this highly tactile experience further, Google plans to host regular classes and events for consumers — similar to what Apple’s Genius Bar provides. Children also can learn coding basics by attending “Virtual Space Camps.”
Although this is the first Google shop experience, the tech company plans to open two similar locations in Currys PC World’s Fulham and Thurrock Megastores.