News tagged ‘Apple Store’

This Thursday, Apple will implement some interesting changes in its retail stores. These changes are self-check capability and expansion of the system allowing to pick-up online orders in Apple Stores. New features will be launched in the form of update to the Apple Store App.

Pickup of standard items will be available in about 12 minutes after placing online orders. During this time system will send the order to the retail store and employees will set aside them for pickup. Customers can skip the line and just have to sign for the item and leave.

Engraved and build-to-order devices and other out-of-the stock products, will be shipped to the local Apple Store free of charge. Then the system will let you know the date of pickup and push notification in the App will inform you about arriving it to the store. The item will be available for pickup in 12 minutes after receiving the push notification.Apple expects that most customers will finally use in-store pickup system for buying products.

Another interesting feature that Apple is going to launch will streamline the retail experience at Apple Stores. Customers will be able to buy cheaper items, like cases, without even talking to an employee. That is how it will happen: after finding the product you want to buy, like a case, you open the Apple Store app that will offer an option to buy an item in the store. In the app you will scan the item with the camera of your device, click buy and the system will charge the credit card linked to your Apple ID.

Self Check Out and In-Store Pickup will launch on this Thursday worldwide.

Sherwood offering in EasyPay system of Apple's retail store

Apple is planning to launch a new program allowing customers to pickup items ordered through the online store at their local Apple Stores. The program known as Sherwood will allow to order any product available at the online store, including gift-wrapped and engraved products, custom-configured Macs, and a full range of third-party accessories.

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A new survey conducted among customers waiting in line at Apple Store to purchase the new iPhone 4S demonstrates that nearly three-quarters are upgrading from a previous version of the iPhone. Investment firm Piper Jaffray polled 550 people at Apple retail stores and found out that 73 percent of iPhone 4S buyers are upgrading from a previous version, compared with 77 percent for the iPhone 4 launch in 2010, 56 percent in 2009, and 38 percent in 2008.

The results of the survey also demonstrate that 19 percent of the first-day buyers preferred to purchase the new high-capacity 64GB iPhone 4S model, which costs $399, while the most part of customers (49%) chose 16GB iPhone 4S for $199 and 32% purchased 32GB iPhone 4S for $299. Last year numbers for the iPhone 4 were different: 54 percent customers preferred to buy 32GB model while 46 percent – 16GB model.

Analysts expect that Apple have sold between 2 million and 2.5 million iPhone 4S units over this launch weekend. If it is true, so that is a new record for Apple that beats the company's previous record of 1.7 million iPhone 4 units sold in 2010.

9to5mac reports that big lines are clearing and Apple Stores actually have some stock of iPhone 4S left over. The photo above illustrates a store in Naples, Florida. Also the lines are not as big as the iPhone 4 launch. And there are few reasons for that.

First of all, Apple now has more points of sale (AT&T, Verizon and Sprint Stores, BestBuy, Sam’s Club, etc). Plus, users made lot's of online pre-orders, 1 million iPhone 4S were sold in the first 24 hours on 100 carriers (vs. 5 countries last year). Some say Apple will sell 4 million units in the first weekend alone.

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Today Apple has begun selling its new iPhone 4S in seven countries: US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Japan and Australia. The device is available in two colors (black, white) and three storage sizes (16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB).  As usual, lines have begun forming near Apple Stores worldwide and Apple Store employees were pulling overnight shifts to put up new displays and promo materials for the iPhone 4S launch.

The Japanese launch was hampered by registration slowdowns from Softbank, according to the Wall Street Journal:

The launch of the iPhone 4S in Japan was interrupted when Softbank – the main service provider for Apple products in the country—suffered a server glitch that temporarily suspended sales nationwide. A company spokesman said the servers were unable to process registration information.

Apple has already received more than one million pre-orders for the iPhone 4S. Analysts are predicting that weekend sales will exceed the iPhone 4 which were sold 1.7 million units its opening weekend. Estimates range from 2 million to 4 million.

In London Apple’s Covent Garden has been robbed early today. A gang of seven thieves on motorbikes has raided this retail store in an attempt to steal Mac notebooks and iOS devices.

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Now, instead of selling your used iPhone on services like Gazelle or eBay you can give your used iPhone 4 to Apple and receive up to $200 for it, depending on its condition. Just visit the page of Reuse and Recycling Program on Apple’s site and press the button Get Started.

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The prices are just like on an image above. iPhone 3GS 8GB is free and iPhone 4 8GB is just $99 - with contract. And yes, according to the Apple Store in the US both iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 are available with Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.

Unlocked iPhone 4 8GB GSM costs $549 in the US.

There is no information yet about unlocked iPhone 4S availability and prices.

9to5mac has got pricing for the iPhone 4S (N94) that Apple is announcing today. According to their source, the price of the unlocked iPhone 4S 64GB will replace the price of the current iPhone 4 32GB. In addition, the price of the new iPhone 4S 32GB will replace the price of the current iPhone 4 16GB.

It’s highly likely that the prices will be as follows (with contract): iPhone 4S 64GB - $299, 32GB - $199, 16GB will drop down to $99 in the United States. The iPhone 4 8GB (N90A) will most likely cost $49, which will replace the current $49 iPhone 3GS price point. As for iPhone 3GS there are rumors that it will be free with contract.

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@Chronicwire posts new images of Otterbox case boxes specifically labeled for the "iPhone 4S". Cases have volume buttons on the right side above the SIM-card slot rather than on the left as in the iPhone 4. But, as far as we know the iPhone 4S leaked parts have not revealed such a change, so it is unclear which one is the correct depiction of the forthcoming device. AT&T stores are reported to have refreshed iPhone 4 cases with a change in the back opening for the camera that may be the rumored 8-megapixel camera. But these new cases may be a revision of the existing iPhone 4 cases. Moreover, earlier this month, there appeared information that several Apple stores had received iPhone bumper cases that didn’t fit right. Customers returned cases suggesting that they might be an early batch of modified cases for the new iPhone. Anyway, a clear light will be shed upon the situation only in October, then Apple reportedly plans to release its next-generation iPhone or iPhones (there are lots of controversial rumors claiming that Apple might release several models of the device: the iPhone 4S alongside the iPhone 5).

Keeping to the Apple’s schedule, the company opens six more stores on this weekend. It starts with the Nanjing East store in China opening tomorrow (Friday, September 23) and then the IFC (Hong Kong), Hornsby (Australia), Centro Sicilia (Italy), New Haven (Connecticut) and Metrotownn (Canada) Apple Stores will open on Saturday. The Nanjing East store (shown above) is the third Apple in Shanghai. IFC store is the first store that locates in Hong Kong. ifoApple Store notes that this store features a unique design:

The rear wall of both levels are glass windows looking out towards the city. On the inside, the lower level has two wide stainless steel walls, with a visitor entrance in the middle. The walls include back-lit display cases promoting Apple’s products. The upper level has an all-glass front window visible from the mall hallway.

After Apple and Intel made joint announcement of the new Thunderbolt input/output technology, one of the highly anticipated products to work with this technology has been the Little Big Disk from LaCie. This drive, which comes in SSD and HDD variants, in February was announced to be launched in summer, however only now it have eventually arrived at Apple Stores worldwide. LaCie notes:

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Engadget Chinese has confirmed that the first Apple’s retail store in Hong Kong will be open on September 24. Apple does not confirm the date, noting they "don't have further information to share." Construction of the store began in June, but now the two-story store front is covered and promised to be opened in the 4th quarter of 2011. Apple reportedly spent about $20 million on construction alone. Apple will employ more that 300 employees for that store that will serve approximately 40,000 customers each day. An average U.S. Apple store serves four times less flow of customers. This store will obviously thwart a grey market for Apple devices that are extremely popular in Hong Kong.

Today Deutsche Telekom has begun offering first-served reservations for the iPhone 5 whenever it debuts. The company confirmed that the program is now in effect.

Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) will allow customers to reserve the next generation of Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone as of today in anticipation of supply bottlenecks for the device, spokesman Alexander von Schmettow said by phone. The operator will hand out coupons to people who expressly request the successor model to the iPhone 4, without providing the name or release details of the device, he said.

Apple typically keeps its carrier partners in the dark about its release plans until it is ready to make a public release. So Deutsche Telecom seems to work on the ground of rumors rather than official information. Hints have been multiplying since last week that Apple could be close to unveiling a fifth-generation iPhone. Apple store employees have received their iOS 5 and iCloud training materia and internal Best Buy documents have pointed to a Sprint iPhone 5 launch in the first week of October.

We’ve heard that Apple has begun iOS 5 and iCloud training with retail store employees through a new section of the company’s recently released internal RetailMe application. Such fact might be an indication of a forthcoming release of the iPhone 5 as Apple typically introduces major iOS updates in the days surrounding new iPhone launches. Apple Store employees have begun receiving detailed information on Apple’s upcoming iCloud service and iOS 5. Apple originally said iCloud would be launching alongside iOS 5.  This iOS 5 and iCloud training news helps support rumors about  late September iPhone 5 pre-orders and an early October launch.