In pictures: the new Samsung Experience Store

Samsung has taken the wraps off its premier Sydney 'experience store', only a block from the glass-fronted Apple store on George Street. The Samsung Experience Store occupies the space left empty by [[xref:https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=fcuk+sydney&hl=en&ll=-33.870326,151.206937&spn=0.016783,0.033023&hq=fcuk&hnear=Sydney+New+South+Wales&t=m&layer=c&cbll=-33.870458,151.206942&panoid=PiiZg3S6-wm_8gDGOUdKww&cbp=12,52.18,,0,5.3&z=16|the old fcuk store]] at 450 George Street — part of the current Westfield shopping centre, and is situated next to the main entrance to the Myer department store.
The store is the technology company's first in Australia — it is playing catch-up with Apple, which is on track to open its 15th store in Carindale this weekend. The store has been under wraps since Samsung purchased the space in mid-June, with construction and internal fit-out continuing until yesterday. These window coverings have since been removed.
Media were [[artnid:433755|offered a preview]] of the store, which will open to the public from Thursday 23 August. Samsung also operates a store in Vancouver, Canada, which is its first in North America.
Inside the store, smartphones, tablets and other Samsung products are displayed on tables — separated by device type, telco carrier, or arranged in common usage scenarios.
A larger-than-life cake was the centrepiece of the store's opening, shaped like a [[artnid:426541|Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone]].
Smartphones arranged on this table are all sold connected to plans on the Telstra mobile network. Tables further back are for Optus and Vodafone networks.
A wall of smartphone and tablet accessories can be found at the back of the store.
Samsung sells its products both on plans and outright from the new Experience Store.
The Samsung Galaxy Beam is one of the stars of the new Experience Store - it's a smartphone with a LED projector built into the body, letting users share photos and videos with friends around them by projecting onto a wall or flat surface.
The new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is also on display at the Experience Store - it's available from today in-store, but will be stocked in JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman in the coming days.
Although they won't be sold from the store, Samsung's Smart TVs are also on display -- here, they're used to demonstrate sharing video, audio and photos wirelessly from Samsung notebooks and smartphones.
The televisions also display a showreel of information about Samsung's TV, notebook, tablet, smartphone and wireless home audio systems.
The inter-connectivity between Samsung's products is a huge part of the store's appeal. Here, notebooks and smartphones join Samsung's wireless-enabled digital camera range -- the smartphone can be used as a remote screen to see what the camera is pointing at.
Another look at the Samsung Gateau-laxy S III cakephone.
Samsung's WB150F wireless 'social' digital camera can share directly to Facebook and other social networks when it's connected to a wireless network.
At the rear of the store, Samsung 'experts' can help any customers with their products.
A small counter at the rear of the store is where customers will make their purchases - Visa and Mastercard are accepted, as are both company's contactless payment systems.
The business end: this is where Samsung store staff will be serving customers and making transactions.
A Samsung Galaxy Note phablet on the Vodafone network.
A Samsung Galaxy Note phablet on the Telstra network.
There's a strong brand connection with Sennheiser, whose headsets are connected to several Samsung tablets and phones displaying apps.