Technology News: Apple Retail

Apple's Retail Engine Keeps On Rolling
November 18, 2009

Apple's retail push shows no signs of slowing, and much of its momentum in the coming year will be directed to markets outside its domestic turf. The company plans to open 40 to 50 new retail stores in 2010, said Ron Johnson, its senior vice president of retail, at a recent store opening in New York. More than half of these will be outside the United States; some will be in London, Paris and Shanghai.

The Bright Spots and Sore Spots of Apple Customer Service
July 28, 2009

Ed Zitron's laptop caught on fire in 2006; his apartment could have easily burned if he hadn't been at home. Infuriated, the account rep for RLM Public Relations called customer service -- and his fury quickly turned into unmitigated outrage. "The customer service rep could not have been more uninterested or blasé about the whole thing. I practically had to force her to give me an apology," he told MacNewsWorld.

Pre: iPhone Killer for a Day?
June 05, 2009

Speculation surrounding the next-generation iPhone has been simmering all week, and with Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference set to hit next week, it just might boil over. Lots of bloggers have been rounding up the rumors, like a 3.2 megapixel camera or even video conferencing. However, it's not an all-iPhone world, after all. Overall, Apple appears to be raking in -- and spending -- plenty of cash.

Microsoft Embarks on Retail Adventure
February 13, 2009

Just a month after saying it had no intention of opening a chain of retail stores, Microsoft has announced plans to do just that. The software giant announced Thursday that it has hired Wal-Mart veteran David Porter to lead the retail effort. Porter will report directly to Kevin Turner, Microsoft's chief operating officer.

Apple Rumor Chitchat: Tea Leaves and Goat Entrails
February 13, 2009

Speculation, rumor and unnamed sources: They're often the three main food groups of Apple blog chatter, and this week was no exception. Reportedly, Apple retail stores are getting ready to undergo a software-focused makeover, and Apple will start storing customer movies in the cloud. Meanwhile, the $99 iPhone rumor/prediction just won't die.

A Place to Buy, Fix or Fondle Good Apples
February 02, 2009

A lot of people have heard of the Bronx Zoo, but a Mac Petting Zoo? That's what Tekserve co-owner Dick Demenus has in the seminar room of his 26,000-foot retail Apple computer store in the heart of Manhattan -- a Mac Petting Zoo. Now in his 22nd year of selling Apple computers, Demenus has acquired an impressive collection of Mac products.

CES 2010 to Feature Apple Orchard - With or Without Apple
January 12, 2009

The Consumer Electronics Association has confirmed that an Apple-focused area will come to its huge Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in 2010, though it currently can't confirm that Apple itself will set up an official exhibit. Apple created a furor in December when it announced that this year's Macworld conference in San Francisco would be its last.

Mac Bloggers Murmur Over Macworld Machinations
January 09, 2009

This should come as no surprise to any iPhone-toting, Apple-watching, Mac-usin' reader: this week's blogs were primarily aimed straight at Macworld and the last Apple keynote the company will deliver. More specifically, the hottest coverage focused on Phil Schiller's keynote address, the new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro, and DRM-free iTunes tracks.

Is the Sky Falling - or Has Apple Outgrown Macworld?
December 17, 2008

Where were you in January 2007 when you first learned that Apple was going to release an iPhone? I remember very well where I was: sitting glumly at my desk looking through the window at the snow on the ground and wishing I was at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. A fellow tech journalist called from the floor of the rival expo CES -- he too wished he had gone to Macworld.

Mac Bloggers Debate App Store, Decry Missing Movies, Discuss Wal-Mart
December 12, 2008

There's been a lot of interesting Apple-focused blogging news this week, much of which focuses on what might be happening soon -- like a final Mac OS X 10.5.6 update, a MacBook firmware update, and the unleashing of Snow Leopard in early 2009. Still, there are three questions that speak to a broader world and are worth a closer look: Are low-cost apps cheapening the iPhone experience?

YouTube's Identity Crisis, Circuit City's Cash Crisis: A Week to Forget
November 14, 2008

Now you can get your fix of "Bulletproof Monk" and "American Gladiators" -- all without leaving the comfort of YouTube. Yes, the king of user-generated, short-form video is now embracing the other kind: studio-generated, feature-length films. Yes, this is the same YouTube that said long-form video was anathema to its business model. But I guess when the big MGM lion comes roaring, you make an exception.

Apple on Black Friday: Blowout Bonanza or Business as Usual?
November 13, 2008

As the United States gets ready for its upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, retail organizations are gearing up for their annual Black Friday sales. This year, though, they face a difficult economic climate, and many consumers may be especially tight with their cash this time around. Some retailers -- especially those that sell consumer electronics -- are expected to cut prices even deeper than usual.

Apple, Dell to Grab Bigger Slices of Smaller Holiday Pie
November 12, 2008

While other consumer electronics makers are headed for a rough holiday season, two standouts in the industry are expected to rise above the rest -- Apple and Dell. A survey by ChangeWave concluded that the U.S. is on the brink of experiencing a "massive breakdown in consumer spending" just in time for the holiday season.

Cupertino Lifts Gag Order, Frees Its Hostage
October 03, 2008

Anyone who's going to work at Apple has to come to terms with the fact that the company is generally very secretive about anything having to do with new products. Apple staffers who create the company's latest stuff are used to keeping their lips sealed tight. But then Apple tried to restrict third-party iPhone software developers by requiring them to sign off on a very strict nondisclosure agreement.

iPhonies: Fake Customers Line Up for Poland's iPhone Debut
August 22, 2008

They are not iPhone enthusiasts. They just play them when paid by marketers. That's the case in Poland, at least, where wireless carrier Telekomunickacja Polska, operating under the Orange brand, has reportedly confirmed it paid actors to stand in line in order to create buzz and interest in Apple's iPhone 3G mobile handset, which launched there on Friday.

Do Second-Hand Apples Taste as Sweet?
August 19, 2008

Just because the iPhone 3G is storming the marketplace, don't expect the first-generation iPhone to disappear. Quite the contrary. Used iPhones, and iPods as well, are finding a ready market for refurbished Apple products. But it really is an Apple marketplace. "I don't see any other brand being able to build that kind of market in refurbished products," In-Stat analyst Stephanie Ethier told MacNewsWorld.