Apple announces new ‘Today at Apple’ sessions

Apple today announced a new Today at Apple release with sessions in three new and expanded formats — Skills, Walks and Labs — which offer hands-on group sessions focused on photography, video, music, coding, app development, art and design and more. The new sessions are free at every Apple Store worldwide and allow visitors to find the right session for their interests and skill level in order to unlock their creativity, inspire learning and encourage connection.
Since the launch of Today at Apple in 2017, Apple has held over 18,000 free sessions a week attended by millions of participants around the world. This newest release expands on the most popular types of Today at Apple sessions, Walks and Labs, providing visitors even more opportunities to get more out of their products, find inspiration in their community and discover guidance from world-class creators.
“Since the beginning, Today at Apple has been about educating and inspiring the communities we serve. These new sessions are an opportunity to unlock the creative potential in all of our customers,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail, in a statement. “There is a session for everyone at Today at Apple and we can’t wait to see what you will create.”
Labs take place in the Forum, the heart of the store which serves as a meeting place for the local community and home for Today at Apple.
 
Three Today at Apple session formats facilitate learning and creativity:
• Skills are meant for those interested in learning new creative techniques to go further with our products, such as making a quick video with the Clips app or editing photos on iPhone. New Skills sessions include Notes and Chords with GarageBand, Sketching Ideas in Notes, Photo Editing Techniques and more.
• Walks invite customers to venture outside of the store with a Creative Pro, where they will explore their surroundings, connect with their community and put new skills to use across passions like photography, music or health. New Walks include Capturing Cinematic Shots, Creating Soundscapes with GarageBand and a Health and Fitness Walk, Staying Motivated co-created with fitness expert Jeanette Jenkins.
• Labs help customers experiment with creative techniques and complete the session with the beginning of a project. Many Labs have been co-created with world-renowned artists and makers. Building on the success of Labs with Florence Welch and photographer Chase Jarvis, skilled customers can find inspiration in new Labs like Beat Making with Swizz Beatz, Small Screen Magic with Zach King and Drawing Treehouses with Foster + Partners.
Today at Apple is also a great resource for families and kids of all ages interested in photography, coding, art and design and more. Labs like Fun Family Portraits, the Sphero Robot Obstacle Challenge and Make Your Own Emoji are built specifically to educate and spark creativity in younger visitors.
Today at Apple includes sessions designed specifically for educators so teachers can learn new ways of bringing technology into their classroom, with Labs like App Design and Prototyping and Class Projects with Clips, based on the Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create curriculums.
To further enrich the Today at Apple experience in every store, Apple is upgrading the existing fleet of stores with design elements that greatly increase the store’s Today at Apple sessions and capacity. These upgrades include the addition of The Forum, an area of the store with a large video wall and seating, serving as a meeting place for the local community and home for Today at Apple. Some stores will add Avenues and, where possible, a grove of trees with integrated seating.
To find and register for a new session, visit www.apple.com/today or the Sessions tab in the Apple Store App.
Source: Apple Inc.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s experiential retail push continues.

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