Retail

iPhone 5s hits 100% availability in U.S. Apple Stores

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 9, 2013

Following its September debut and severely constrained supply, Apple's iPhone 5s has finally achieved full availability across the company's retail outlets in the United States. According to a survey by one analyst, the flagship Apple smartphone is now in stock for all colors and capacities and across all major U.S. carriers in company-owned U.S. retail Apple Stores.

Although the U.S. Online Apple Store still shows ship times of five to seven business days, you should now have no issues waltzing inside your nearest Apple Store and picking up an iPhone 5s. At any rate, this is a good sign which indicates Apple and its suppliers have finally caught up with demand ahead of the all-important Christmas shopping frenzy...

Apple launches iBeacons in retail stores with In-Store Notifications via Apple Store app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Apple has begun rolling out iBeacons in its retail stores, with first iBeacon transmitters being deployed in its 24-hour Fifth Avenue store in New York City. Apple has also rolled out a server-side update allowing its free Apple Store app for the iPhone and iPad to let shoppers elect to receive In-Store Notifications about products and orders, including information such as a customer's upgrade availability and trade-in options.

Approving In-Store Notifications within the Apple Store app requires enabling Bluetooth and the iOS Background App Refresh feature, which allows the system to locate your device and issue product-related information as you check out products inside the store...

Apple publicizes holiday ordering deadlines

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 2, 2013

If you're going to buy an Apple product this holiday season, you'll be wise to plan your purchase in advance unless you can cope with broken hearts on post-Christmas deliveries. But holiday shoppers needn't worry too much as Apple is feeling your pain.

This morning, the company has refreshed its U.S. Online Store with a handy guide specifying the important ordering deadlines for Macs, iPads, iPhones, iPods and accessories for delivery by December 24, 2013.

Deadlines vary from one product to another. For example, Apple's Next Day Shipping is available for many, but not all iPads. Specifically, if you're buying an iPad mini with Retina display, your best bet is to place an order with Apple by midnight on December 5 for delivery by December 24.

The full breakdown follows right below...

Some European Apple Stores now offering interest-free financing

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 2, 2013

Apple's Online Stores in some of Europe's biggest markets are running an interesting time-limited promotion with interest-free financing on online purchases above £449 in the case of United Kingdom, which works out to about €400/$540.

Depending on the country, Apple has partnered with major banks to permit shoppers to have their repayments spread across ten or twelve monthly repayments with zero percent interest.

In the United Kingdom, the zero percent interest consumer finance promotion is available with ten monthly repayments on qualifying purchases made through either the online Apple Store for Consumers or the Apple Store for Education between December 2, 2013 and midnight of the January 10, 2014...

New Apple retail boss Angela Ahrendts: ‘it’s all about people’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Angela Ahrendts, the outgoing chief executive officer of Burberry Group Plc and Apple's incoming head of Retail and online Apple Stores, has penned a rather interesting little post over at LinkedIn. The article deals with following one's gut instinct and hints at what we might expect from her after she joins Apple a few months from today.

Titled 'Why a Successful Transition is a Great Legacy,' it outlines the challenges of transitioning to a new leadership and details her intuitive approach to the decision-making process that had gone into weighing Apple's and Burberry's offers to join their respective executive ranks...

Some US, Canada Apple Stores opening early on Black Friday

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Black Friday is next week, and for those unfamiliar with the term, it's the Friday after Thanksgiving that kicks off the busiest shopping weekend of the year. Retailers open their stores early and offer significant discounts on their products in hope of luring in holiday shoppers.

And it looks like Apple will be participating in the festivities this year. While we haven't yet received word on the company's Black Friday deals, it does appear that many of its retail stores in both the United States and Canada will be opening early to accomodate the crowds...

Fortune names Apple’s head of retail Angela Ahrendts #4 in 2013 list of top executives

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Last month, Apple announced that it had finally found its new head of retail after nearly a year of searching. Her name is Angela Ahrendts, the current CEO of British fashion house Burberry, and she's believed by many to be a great choice.

And apparently Fortune agrees. The business news outlet has named Ahrendts #4 in its 2013 list of top executives. The list is an annual affair, and is filled with execs who defied expectations, led big turnarounds, and delivered big results...

Macy’s becomes first retailer to implement iBeacon tech

Cody Lee ∙ November 20, 2013

Following reports that Apple is working to implement iBeacon tech in its retail stores comes word that Shopkick has beat it to the punch. The shopping app has teamed up with Macy's to deliver the first major retail iBeacon system.

The technology, which is new to iOS 7, uses Bluetooth LE signaling to enable micro-location services and is expected to be a huge hit with retailers. The tech will allow stores to deliver targeted sales and information to their customers...

Beautiful Apple Store app launches on iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

Today, Apple has finally launched the Apple Store app for iPad. The iPhone application was released back in June 2010 and all this time Apple has failed to provide the native tablet experience, until today. Apple Store for iPad, available now on the App Store, is heavy on gestures and brings a completely redesigned appearance which feels right at home in iOS 7 and takes advantage of the larger canvas on iPads by putting product images front and center.

The many Apple Store categories are nicely organized and always accessible via a sleek navigation bar which automatically gets out of the way. While the app provides important product description and other meta data, the use of white space and smart design adds up to readability.

Released in time for your holiday mobile shopping, Apple Store for iPad is arguably perhaps the best iOS 7 app Apple has written thus far, and I don't mean that in a small way. Yup, it's that good.

Jump past the fold for the full reveal...

Mesmerizing front-window displays going up at Apple Stores ahead of holidays

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 18, 2013

With the start of the 2013 holiday season officially less than two weeks away, Tim Cook and his lieutenants are adamant to turn Apple Stores into the best place to experience the magic of iPhone and iPad devices, Macs and other gear - all over again.

As is Apple's wont, part of the upcoming festivities is a holiday-themed interior design and fitting tweaks, including this mesmerizing front window display.

Take a closer look after the break and tell us what you though about it down in the comments...

Best Buy and Sprint giving students 12 months of free talk, text and data with phone purchase

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 4, 2017

If you're a student on the lookout for an iPhone this holiday season, look no further than Best Buy and Sprint which teamed up for a cool smartphone promotion. Beginning today and valid until January 4, eligible students who purchase an eligible Sprint phone at Best Buy stores, at the student-activated price, and sign up for one of Sprint's plans will received twelve months of free service which includes unlimited talk, text and one gigabyte of data.

This normally costs $70 per month so the free year of service could save you a total of $840. Jump past the fold for the full reveal...

Apple launches trade-in program in India to make older iPhones less expensive

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

India is home to 1.24 billion people. As such, the second most-populous nation (after China) is among the fast-growing markets for smartphones. Brazil, Russia, India and China have a collective population of nearly three billion people and as such these so-called BRIC markets are estimated to each overtake the United States in smartphone sales by 2018.

India is particularly important to Apple so Tim Cook & Co. in past few months rolled out a series of initiatives aimed at making it easier for cash-strapped consumers to purchase an iPhone. Apple's premium pricing strategy coupled with high import taxes and low average pay put the iPhone out of reach for many average Indians so the firm is now launching a new smartphone trade-in program in co-operation with local resellers...