Apple's Munich opening is mobbed — in fullscreen panorama
Here's something you don't see very often.
A high-res panoramic camera captured the mob scene Saturday morning when Apple (AAPL) opened its flagship Munich retail outlet — the first Apple Store in Germany. A huge crowd showed up, and it's all there in QTVR — QuickTime virtual reality.
To experience the thing, created by photographer Willy Kaemena (visible at the center of the panorama), click on the image above — or go to this webpage — and then drag your mouse around to get a feel of what it was like to be there. (The sound loop of the crowd could drives you nuts; there's a speaker button on the bottom of the screen that will shut it off.)
The store, at 1 Rosenstrasse, is the first of five retail shops that Apple plans to open in Germany, according to AppleInsider. Click here to see photos of the site — once the home of a Sport Schuster outlet — after Apple razed the existing building to construct one of their classic glass-enclosed retail spaces.
According to the store's official website, Apple employees were going to hand out T-shirts to the first 2,500 people who showed up. Judging from the panorama, they didn't bring enough.
For more of Kaemena's work, click here. For thousands of panoramas from more than 150 cities around the world, visit 360cities.net.
For video of Apple's Munich staff whipping up the usual frenzy with whooping, stomping, hollering and high-fives, see the YouTube clip below the fold posted by readers Bob, Ted, Sam and Alice.
UPDATE: To help clear up the debate below about the extent to which normal tourist and Christmas shopping traffic made the Apple crowd seem bigger than it really was, click here to see to an earlier Kaemena panorama, shot 30 minutes before the grand opening.
Just a question of fact……… there is an Apple Store in Monchengladbach, Germany, so is the one in Munich the second one??
ex ped: A store that sells Apple products is not the same thing as an Apple-owned store. See here for a map of Apple Stores around the world.
>Style over substance<
Perhaps you are hung up on the “look” of Apple products, hence the “style over substance” dig. I would venture to say that most people don’t speed hundreds or thousands of dollars on a computer merely because it looks cool or different although perhaps some do. The style of Apple products is not something that I think much about myself. There are those designers of the world who make everything from a can opener, the latest iMac or a skyscraper who would argue that design is very important to the usefulness of a product well beyond that surface attributes one might first notice.
I suppose you can make that argument that interest in Apple products is but mere blind brand loyalty, but that seems more of an argument within a comparison of say HP vs. Dell. A Mac is rare alternative to Windows and provides a different user experience both in the short and long term use of the product. I would argue that it is the very intrinsic value of the products themselves, the underlying software and, to a lesser degree, hardware engineering that goes into a Mac that creates loyalty to the brand. One could say the same about the iPhone and iPod as well since they run on software unique to those devices. In general, I'm not really a fan of the material fascism that your criticism seems to favor. I’m glade a grand leader doesn't make us all drive VW's or, for that matter, use Windows OS. It is nice to have options, competition and diversity. Considering how many of the things pioneered by Apple have become the norm throughout the industry, we all benefit from them whether we know it or not.
BTW, there is no way you could pay me to show up for one of these store openings! IMHO, you gotta be nuts, bored or both.
That's a pretty good illustration of what's wrong with the world and why the global economy is on the rocks. People buying in to brands not because of their intrinsic value but because of how they perceive they add to their self-image. Style over substance has brought the world's economy to it's knees and the self-satisfied, narcissistic ipod generation are in for a rude awakening in the next few years. Apple should be ashamed at this sort of hysteria – not promote it as something positive. Honestly, I thought German's were more sensible than this.
Believe me, there was no such thing as a mob, I´ve been there. The store was opened in a very busy pedestrian area, on a Saturday, which is particularly crowded the last 4 weeks before Xmas. At least 80% off all people pictured here had other things to do.
Funny, however, what is being brought up when talking about the opening of a computer store:
All Germans are shity dressed, bad mannered, lousy food eating all-things-american-envy in-line marchers. Anything else?
OMG, what are these guys doing there,
horrible staff, acting like popstars>>>SICK
they only sell computers, nuthing more…
cant believe it!!!!
The Video to me looks absoluteley creepy. I feel reminded of Scientology meetings and such.
There is no such thing as German envy of America. It's more of a mixture of love and hatred. But Germans and Americans have a lot in common: they dress shity, eat the worst food and have bad manners.
Mark from Berlin
For all those Americans with the deep understanding of German queuing practices, they don't. German lines are largely nonexistent. They're called mobs. But we are all pleasantly amused with the proliferation of stereotypes.
An Apple Store in Munich, Wow. Get over it. Assuming that they had hired Germans as their Staff I do not expect that kind of service one would encounter in any of the US Apple Stores.
As for the so often stated "American Envy" that we Germans have, I am tempted to say something about that but I don't go there. Envy for what? Get a grip.
This scene speaks volume about the attraction power of the Apple brand. Can you imagine anything comparable for any of their competitors? Hardly.
I lived and worked in Germany for 8 years selling to a very unique market for Apple Europe.
I quickly discovered that European countries have government approved, promoted and subsidized computer technology. In some ways, not a bad idea.
In Germany, it was Siemens. Apple always held a very minor share of computer users because there was so much impetus to buy Siemens and other German brands.
And Germany makes very solid products. No criticism here, just remembering how it was.
To see an Apple Store, in the same American branded format as it is in the U.S., in Munich is incredible to me. It is a huge statement on how much has changed in the market over the past 20 years.
Apple deserves all the success they can achieve. They have worked very hard to get there.
Munich … oh man I miss that city.
Shameful in times like this people with money act totally stupid about an apple ermm product.
grow up & spend some money in the so called third world!
where it's actually needed now that western civilisation has bleed it dry.
Very cool for the brand and all of the Applephiles in Germany. I can't wait to see what they do in Berlin.
BTW – Jeff Stevens, your comment was over the line. Perhaps as Americans we should be called out for slavery and segregation any time a moron like you wants to make a snide remark – Get over it.
Panorama and then some! It's 360 degrees in both theta and phi, which makes it a full 4 PI.
Not such a mob scene for Germany, though. I remember having to use elbows lots of time over there to get thru the checkout, for one thing. These guys and gals are very well behaved!
No one here has noted the Gluehwein stand just opposite the store. Hot spiced wine and a crowd this size hanging around — accompanied by the sugar buzz of Lebkuchen — no wonder everyone is humming and cheering.
Great opening day for Apple in Munich. I have found, however, that the 'Apple Store Experience' sucks if you are a potential Apple computer purchaser or are looking to get your Apple computer serviced. Better to purchase your Apple computer at Best Buy and avoid the hordes of morons who just can't seem to get their IPhones or Ipods to work without the help of the 'geniuses' with too much gel in their hair.
@dan: when where you there? After the 4000 people left? Look at this http://www.sueddeutsche.de/550384/199/2668446/Auf-heiligem-Boden.html
Oder lügen deutsche Zeitungen auch?
ex ped: I can't resist posting the pidgin English version of that Sueddeutch.com piece, as mangled by Babelfish:
On holy ground
4000 technology-younger storms of Germany first Apple net curtain in the rose road
Of Jürgen Schmieder
Already before entering Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp lame and Andreas Ottl is conscious to the FC-Bavaria-professionals that they will change directly on holy ground. They see an enormous apple over the glass entrance, among them coworkers in blue and red server shirts wait. They show the soccer players iPods and Macbooks, which are to buy them with their premium for the victory against hoping home. Pig risers and its colleagues come to the opening 251. Apple net curtain world-wide, first in Germany. More than 4000 humans wait on Saturday at ten o'clock on the rose road, Dennis Vost from Hamburg stand already since shortly after midnight before the entrance and are thus the first customer in the first secular church of Munich.
It is not a cathedral, as one knows it from New York, Tokyo or Chicago. It is the smaller version, a chapel. The message of the company founder Steve Jobs (“technology changes our all lives”) is noticeable, one has the impression, it this shop would maximumpersonally have sketched and would have furnished. At the walls are flat screens let in, which shine devices, now and then flash somewhat. “One is not only to regard the devices, but also”, said net curtain managers Ron Johnson try out two days before the opening. The actors Max von Thun (“the escape”) and Steffen sign (“the Bible code”) let themselves be asked and been busy not for a long time eagerly to that iPhones around. Colleague Wanja Mues (“man”) rather observes the Apple young, which wait on the road for being allowed into the business by the enormous window in the first stick.
The first stick of the new business is like that something like the parsonage building. At the genius bar one can pay to the coworkers its non removable disk or also its heart, for children gives it faithfully to the slogan “sends her to us young, then they belong to us” their own corner with black seat Knubbels, over glass stairs always go it downward, where the all too nice coworkers communicate that still accurately two stages are to be mastered. From today's Monday there are four concerts with Peter Maffay, Laith Al-Deen, Xavier Naidoo and Clueso, which should be as coolly as the Apple products – a praising of the individual and nevertheless mass-suited with the apple as symbol of the membership to holy Apple resounding.
As Bastian Schweinsteiger again out-stepped into cold weather, there is wild applause of the waiting fans. The Bavaria professional smiles – probably he does not know whether he is beklatscht for the victory in the point play on the day before or for his affiliation to the Apple family. It is probably clear: Football stadiums are not the churches 21. Century, but Apple Store. Now also Munich has one.
@cynik:
There are actually two Apple retail stores in Switzerland, the first one in Geneva and the second one in Zurich's Glattzentrum (which i believe is some kind of mall?). I think I read about a second store for Zurich's city center.
@dan — ok, so I zoomed in and scrolled around as you suggested. Looks like all but 50 or so people are facing the Apple store, and many of those 50 seem to be cordoned off by crowd control apparatus. Look closely and you'll see fencing and red tape herding the throng into four or five rows of organized lines.
And who cares if the majority WEREN'T there for the opening? If that's the case, then KUDOS APPLE for securing that high-traffic location.
Looks like a mess, which is very atypical for Germans! 
I'd say that there are a representative share of Germans who are Mac fans and technophiles based on living there twice (Hamburg in 91-92 and Goettingen in 94-95). I don't think it's new, nor do I think its "American envy" (well, that's not new, either). I am sure there was some fanaticism and some excitement about the store, but (admittedly not having been there) I also expect it wasn't all about the store. The Marienplatz is busy when intentional events are set up (e.g. Oktoberfest, although surely not on a comparable scale for Christmas markets), just like it's quiet as a church at other times. We should not conflate the situations.
Jeff, as an *investor* I would care if the stock price hit zero. Don't be silly.
cynik, warten Sie ruehig ab, Sie bekommen sicherlich Apple in der Schweiz, aber eher in Basel oder Genf, nicht wahr?
…ummm..its like opening a store in Times square on New Years Day and claiming the tourists were there to see the grand opening. In addition, the Apple store opened between Sendlingerstr and Marienplatz, across from Kaufhof, which is at best 15 meters wide, which created a bottleneck and forced tourists to get by at a snails pace. Spare me the German envy, I'm an American from NYC. I'm just calling it like it is.
The Germans here are expressing their typical American envy. They can't stand that an American product is desired by their kinfolk, so they try to marginalize….then they sneak back into the Apple store and buy.
I live in Munich and was there yesterday. There was NO mob. Its Christmas market time in Munich and the tourist flock to Marienplatz which is where the stop is located. Don’t believe the hype.
ex ped: True, not everybody in Marienplatz Saturday was there for the opening. If you zoom in on the panorama, you can distinguish between the gawkers and the Apple fans by which way they're facing.
"Someone captured the mob scene Saturday morning when Apple (AAPL) opened its flagship Munich retail outlet — the first Apple Store in Germany. A huge crowd showed up, and it’s all there in QTVR — extreme panorama QuickTime virtual reality."
that someone has a name….. if you look straight down you will see the photographer its me Willy Kaemena
ex ped: Thank you Willy! You didn't make it easy to give proper credit. I've added a link to the homepage where readers can see more of your work.
iphonerulez: Apple doesn't need WS. THey, and most people witha clue have figured out that stock price has nothing to do with the actual value of a company. Stock prices are manipulated by those who seek to make a dollar off those who think that trading is the same as investing. With close to, or more than 30 Billion in CASH, and more in non-liquid holdings, the share price could hit 0, and it would have NO effect on Apple, other than in the eyes of those 'investors' who buy and sell, hold a stock for days, hours, or even just minutes. This is the new market, and if a company is turning a profit, that's what will make it viable. Apple sells quality products that people want (and many, like me, think they need-a warped perception I know). And they have managed to do this without worrying about stock prices, Focus groups, or any of the idiotic consumer surveys that many companies rely on to build products by consensus rather than inspiration.
2500 t shirts must cost nearly $5000, all told.
Given that they act as unpaid billboard advertising for the firm, I figure you could write it into the local marketing budget for the week. If not, I guess Wall Street might get uppity about the dent in the cool 20 banked billions.
Fool, be silent. You lower the tone of the joint with your incessant mewings.
Aber die Apfel im Munchen, das ist sehr schon. Spat, und die erste in Deutschland … nach 20 jahre, aber Besser spat als nie. Moglicherweise, im Jahre 2050, haben sie ein in Zurich.
I believe iphonerulez is being sarcastic.
He's saying that yes, this looks awesome, but that wall street hasn't rewarded awesome lately. E.g. blow away iphone sales numbers, share price tanks to new lows in the next few weeks.
Personally, I don't think Apple has been treated that harshly by the market when you look at the overall environment.
Anyway, my take is that he's being sarcastic.
@ iphonerrulez. What wrong with being fruity? Does it scare you? If you hate the co. and it's staffing so much why are you wasting your time here on this blog for? Strange indeed… Anger issues maybe?
That was fun. Nice to see proof of people being excited about Apple products. But…watch Gary Krackow (theStreee.com) and Eric Savitch (Barons) will say…something like "a few people were in line for the grand opening of the Apple store in Germany"…idiots..they are both idiots.
Who can doubt that this is just the tip of the iceberg? Folk's around the world will buy Apple products because they are easy to use, fun, educational, informative and because they work… and if they don't, there's a genius to fix it.
iPhonerulez, I think your comments are quite weird. I highly doubt Wall Street really cares about Apple giving out T-shirts.
Besides, Wall Street doesn't even really exist anymore. All the investment banks are GONE. They were idiots, and now they're extinct.
My own beef with the event? I think it's a tad bit odd to get so excited over… SHOPPING. And I certainly don't want ppl yelling and screaming and applauding me for doing so. It's kind of like a cult of consumerism, if ya really think about it.
But, if ppl are going to act that oddly, it should at least be over Apple products, as they (almost) live up to the hype.
Amazing, impressive, fantastic, terrific, earth-shaking. I haven't seen a crowd like that since last New Year's Eve at 42nd St. in Manhattan.
Nevertheless….
Look for Apple's share price to be down about $3 on Monday. Only fruity fanboys are impressed with these antics. WS and investors care little about crowds. WS will probably downgrade Apple for always giving away free T-shirts because it cuts into profit margins.
Besides, Apple retail stores employ too many people. There should be no more than three concierges and two Geniuses per store. WS only rewards companies that lay-off employees in a poor economy. It has something to do with trimming unnecessary overhead.
Nice try, Apple. You almost had WS fooled for a moment.
Apple provides quality equipment, that also has a great appearance. Don't blame apple for the big outcome of people.