See here's the thing... I have no problem with Samsung, Microsoft etc choosing to follow Apple's lead (or anyone else's for that matter) if that's what they want to do. So long as it's not a blatant rip off of prior work then that's fine. It's just so bloody frustrating when you consider what they *could* be doing if they dared to take a risk every now and then.
Look at Microsoft's stores - they're such shameless imitations that it verges on the comical yet none of the design or ethos really seems to fit with their consumer branding. The wood tables, f'instance, don't really match up with anything they build and end up looking like a not-so-cheap knock-off. Why not go with... oh I don't know, let's say something like this:
http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/561668627/led_cube_table_led_bar_table_illuminated.jpg I mean, not quite that tacky obviously but something that fits in with both the Windows logo (which, let us not forget, adorns the store front these days) and the Xbox neon green theme.
And that's what I fear with this. Samsung expanding their retail presence is probably a good thing for the consumer depending on the level of effort they put in. If these stores-within-stores get the usual level of push from Samsung you may find them seriously hurting other Windows and Android sales from those stores that have them which wouldn't be good news for customer choice. But I just hope they whatever they do they take Tim Gudgel's experience (and that of any others they employ for this project) and build something new and unique to Samsung rather than another Apple store copy.