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Apple To "Think Different" in New 'Prototype' Retail Store

Matthew Tilmann — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:55:17 -0600

Apple's brick and mortar stores have always had a different feel to them when compared to the other typical retail fare available. Now, in a project developer's letter to city officials in Palo Alto, CA, they are looking to change the game again, according to AppleInsider.

"The proposed store is a new prototype for the applicant," stated the memo. "Fully half the function of the store serves to provide education and service to business as well as customer patrons in addition to product sales. The store is a commons for the applicant's community to gather."

The proposal that was approved 3-0 by the Palo Alto architectural review board described a building entirely transparent at ground level with trees growing inside. Skylights would then allow natural lighting in the store, and also allow the trees to grow. Although Apple had not been mentioned in conjunction with the project, and like usual declined to comment, sources stated that the plans were for a new Apple Store.

"(The glass storefront) dissolves the boundary that traditional store facades create," the memo continued. "By not breaking the horizontal ground plane of the sidewalk with opaque wall or landscape element, for example, the street is made part of the store's interior; the pedestrian is in the store before entering it."

Bicycle and newspaper racks and a trash bin in front of the store will also be relocated to help create a cleaner aesthetic, perhaps as Apple continues with its already sound environmental efforts.

Apple would then close its existing Palo Alto store and move it to a new location at 340 University Ave. The existing roof and facade would then reportedly be demolished to make way for the new 10,700 square foot store.

Tesco iPhone Monthly Plan Is Really Cheap

J.R. Bookwalter — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:33:02 -0600

After last month’s announcement that the largest retail store chain in the U.K. would start offering the iPhone, now comes word that Tesco is also slashing prices that would make even its U.S. cousin Wal-Mart jealous.

Tesco is selling the iPhone in their Tesco Phone Shops throughout the U.K., and they have announced that the base plan for service is a mere £20 ($32.54 US) per month, a full 1/3 lower than competing carriers, according to AppleInsider.

Customers will be able to purchase an iPhone 3G on a 12-month contract instead of the usual 24 months, at a slightly higher up-front cost of £222 ($361 US).

Tesco Mobile relies on the O2 network for its service, but signing up directly with O2, the cheapest iPhone plan is £34.26 ($55.74 US) per month with a two-year contract, and the device itself is free. Tesco Mobile is also offering an iPhone 3G for free with a two-year contract, but the monthly plan adds up to only £702 ($1,142.15 US) over 24 months instead of O2’s cost of £822 ($1,337.39 US). However, O2 customers get 600 minutes per month, while Tesco customers only get 300.

Chatterboxes who require unlimited calling with Tesco will have to fork over £60 ($97.62 US) each month on a 24-month contract, and if they want the newer iPhone 3GS, that will cost them £320 ($520.64).

The U.K. iPhone market has heated up in recent months after O2 lost its exclusivity in September. Competitors Vodafone and Orange quickly jumped into the fray to offer the device, and the Tesco Mobile deal is seen as a way for O2 to gain back some of their market share.

Black Friday For Apple, Indeed

J.R. Bookwalter — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:43:31 -0600

Apple’s own Black Friday discounts may have been modest, but authorized resellers more than made up for the difference in what analysts are projecting as “huge” Mac sales from Black Friday 2009.

Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu has issued a note this morning reporting low inventory and Macs out of stock at many resellers, according to AppleInsider. Wu previously forecast 2.9 million Mac sales for the December quarter, and now says his estimate could be low.

“Promotions through third-party retailers including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target were more aggressive than usual,” Wu explains, “with discounts as much as 20% versus previous years of 11%-13%. Some even bundled generous gift cards (as much as $50 for iPods and $150 for Macs) to entice buyers. So far, many third-party discounts (though maybe not as aggressive) are continuing beyond Black Friday.”

Indeed, AppleInsider has updated their Mac Pricing Guide to show that resellers are extending deals through the “Cyber Monday” event today. Wu also noted that foot traffic at Apple’s retail stores was “strong” and that sales of Macs, iPhones and iPods appeared brisk. Traditionally, the Black Friday weekend accounts for nearly 10% of all holiday sales.

On the flip side, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster initially said Monday that Black Friday retail sales were slower than 2008 for Apple based on their own in-store checks on the day after Thanksgiving. They have since updated their information to note that online sales were up 39% from last year, which likely offsets any decrease in sales at the retail level.

U.K. Grocery Chain Tesco Bags iPhone

J.R. Bookwalter — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:44:53 -0600

Next time U.K. shoppers drop into their local Tesco store for a loaf of bread, they’ll also be able to pick up an iPhone at the same time, courtesy of a new partnership with local carrier O2.

The deal, announced today, will bring Apple’s iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS to more than 100 Tesco Phone Shops by the end of the year. Tesco Mobile is the retailer’s mobile virtual network operator, who will also offer the device online through its Tesco Direct site.

Tesco’s pay-as-you-go service may be branded Tesco Mobile, but it relies on the O2 network, similar to how MVNO Virgin Mobile operates using Sprint’s network here in America. Tesco is the world’s fourth-largest retailer, making the deal Apple’s next step toward even wider distribution in Europe.

It also marks a new advantage for partner O2, who lost their U.K. exclusive on the iPhone recently and now competes for customers with rivals Vodafone and Orange.

Apple Denying Support to Smokers

Cory Bohon — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:58:50 -0600

Apple is snuffing out smokers and their computers when it comes to repairs.

According to the Consumerist, Apple has denied computer repair to at least two known Mac users after they took in their computers for repair. The reason? They're smokers and according to the Apple repair technicians, the problems may have been a result of second-hand smoke.

Both users took their complaints to the office of Steve Jobs where they explained the reason why they were denied service. Apple said that OSHA lists nicotine on a list of hazardous substances and Apple cannot require an employee to work on a device that has been intoxicated.

One of the affected users sent an email to the Consumerist detailing their response from Dena at Steve Jobs' office: "Dena set up an appointment at the same Apple store. They told me that they would take pictures of the computer - both inside and out before determining whether to proceed and that if the only problem was the optical drive, they'd probably just replace it. Dena called me earlier this week to deliver the 'bad news.' She said that the computer is beyond economical repair due to tar from cigarette smoke!"

If this is, in fact, Apple's new policy and you are a smoker, then you might want to reconsider getting an AppleCare warranty. Both of the affected users couldn't find any reference to the smoking problem in the AppleCare terms. If this is the case, then Apple needs to make this point clear before charging consumers for an extended warranty that might be voided in a situation like this.

via Gizmodo

Apple Announces Reserve and Pick Up for Retail

Arvind Srinivasan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:47:08 -0600

Looks like Apple is gearing up for a busier than usual holiday shopping season. They announced a new buying method, "Reserve and Pick Up," which is exactly what it sounds like.

If you want to buy a Mac or iPod as a gift, you can reserve it now, and pick it up between December 15 and 24. The advantage over buying online is that you can delay payment -- clearly, this is going to turn into the new "pizza to neighbor" prank, and people are going to think it's hilarious to order 500 MacBooks to be gift wrapped. Our official advice is not to anger Apple retail. You never know when they will gleefully announce that the AppleCare on your broken iPhone is void.

Via 9to5mac

Apple Stores' New Easy Pay iPod touch

Andrew Villa — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:18:47 -0600

According to ifoAppleStore and AppleInsider, in about two weeks, Apple stores will start retiring their current Windows CE portable computers and start using custom iPod touches to check out customers.

Apple's new EasyPay system uses the the touchscreen interface of the iPod touch to help any customer with purchases and returns. Apple is wrapping the iPod touch in a hard plastic, two-piece shell with a magstripe reader in the back, and a barcode scanner installed on the top of the device. Inside the shell a rechargeable battery will help power the card reader and scanner, and there is a set of four lights on the back to help indicate the state of the battery's charge.

Credit card transactions are very similar to the current method, customers will write their signature on the iPod touch using a Pogo Sketch stylus.

The iPod touch scanner can read all four barcodes printed on the iPhone box, and automatically fills in the data fields on the order screen. "The software even displays the iPhone 'Terms and Conditions' for the customer to read, and then accepts the customers signature to verify their acceptance," says AppleInsider.

Consumer Reports Readers Heart the Apple Store

Andrew Villa — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:22:30 -0600

In the December issue of Consumer Reports the results of a poll show that, on a scale of 0 to 100, readers rated their experience at the Apple Store a 90. Ratings were based on responses of more than 31,000 readers who purchased electronics during June 2008 and June 2009.

Readers gave the Apple Store the highest marks for product quality, customer service, and ease of buying; readers also gave Apple failing grades for price and selections. Consumer Reports editors noted that the Apple Store "is, of course, limited to selling Apple Products."