Google Dives Into Brick-and-Mortar With First Android Retail Store
Finally, Android has a place it can call home.
Google and Australian mobile telecommunications company Telstra opened the first ever brick-and-mortar Android-themed storefront in Melbourne on Thursday, a move to consolidate the Android brand and associated devices under one big, wide, Googly roof.
Created in collaboration with Android device manufacturers, “Androidland” showcases the many different devices that run Google’s operating system in a fun, Android-themed environment. And rather than merely hawking the devices, special displays and gaming kiosks aim to inform potential buyers about how Android works, and what devices may be best for them.
Yes, it all sounds identical to Apple’s retail storefront strategy, an initiative that met early criticism but quickly proved successful.
When former CEO Steve Jobs first proposed the idea of opening Apple-owned stores, many sitting on Apple’s board of directors were concerned that proprietary stores would alienate big-box retailers, then the primary distributors of Apple’s products. Years later, Apple has opened hundreds of the retail stores across the country. Today, the retail stores add upward of $10 billion to the company’s yearly revenues