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Apple Retail

1,476 'Apple Retail' stories September 2010 - September 2013
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Apple operates more than 500 retail stores across the globe.

iphone 16 pro max apple store

Apple operates more than 500 retail stores in 22 countries. Under the direction of Deirdre O’Brien, Apple Stores are staffed by more than 70,000 team members and 3,000 Creative Pros. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple Retail including COVID-19 status, new store openings, and the latest news.

Table of contents

COVID-19: Changes to the Apple Store experience

Wondering about the status of your local Apple Store? Check out our COVID-19 Reopening Tracker, which includes a full map of open stores, health and safety procedures, and all the information you need to know before your visit.

Apple Stores: What makes them unique?

Beyond their award-winning architecture and landmark designs, Apple Stores are known for their focus on education and creativity. Over 250,000 free Today at Apple sessions were offered to the community each quarter prior to the pandemic. New stores are designed with a Video Wall and gathering area for Today at Apple known as the Forum. Older “classic” locations are being upgraded to accommodate the same experience.

Hours and locations: Where can I find details about my local Apple Store?

Apple’s website has a great tool for finding nearby locations and store hours; just type in your address or zip code to get started. You can learn more about the design and details of Apple Stores at The Apple Store Glossary.

Apple Store appointments: How can get I help?

If you’re having a problem with your device or want to shop with a knowledgeable Specialist, take the time to make an appointment before your Apple Store visit. If you need to make a Genius Bar appointment or contact Apple Support, visit Apple’s website. To schedule a shopping session, visit this link or open the Apple Store app.

The latest store openings and upgrades

Share your experience

If you attend a store opening, spot something interesting, or attend a great Today at Apple session, we’d love to see and share your photos.

Ahead of iPhone event, the Apple Store goes down

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Sep 10 2013 - 6:01 am PT
5 Comments

Ahead of the iPhone media event taking place at 10AM PST, the Apple Store is down for updates. The expectation is that Apple will announce two new phones at the event, a first for the company, dubbed the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, with both models being available in new colour variations. As always, the Store will return after the event is over, with new pages featuring the newly announced hardware.

In preparation for the event, you can read our roundup of what we expect to be announced from yesterday, as well as a roundtable of our staff’s opinions — on a much more speculative basis — from August.

Naturally, 9to5Mac will have full coverage of all the announcements from the event.

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Campers already lining up at Fifth Avenue Apple Store two weeks before rumored iPhone launch

Avatar for Scott Buscemi Sep 6 2013 - 9:12 am PT
13 Comments

Two weeks before the rumored September 20 launch of the next generation iPhone(s) and four days before the media event, eager fanboys/publicity-seekers have begun camping out in front of the Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York.

The tag team from SellYourMac arrived this morning, but as seen in the picture above, they were actually beat by two others who arrived yesterday. The camp-out times are getting longer and longer for some of the more prominent stores, but as an Arizonan myself – it’s going to be 104° F here today – I don’t think I’ll be following suit at my local store…

People are saying the iPod classic dies this year…again

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 6 2013 - 7:44 am PT
14 Comments
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The iPod Classic is the gadget that refuses to die. Despite containing a hard drive when everything else is flash memory and physical controls when everything else is touchscreen, this 2009 device which isn’t a trillion miles removed from the original iPod design of 2001 remains on sale on the Apple Store to this day.

But not for long, according to Wired. The piece pulls together a whole bunch of commentators who all agree that this will be the year that Apple retires the elderly design. Perhaps they are right, but we can recall a certain rumor-phobe website called for the death of the iPod Classic as far back as 2011:

Specifically, if you want to buy an iPod shuffle or iPod classic from Apple, you should do it sooner rather than later. We’ve heard those two iPods are getting the axe this year [2011].

Ars Technica is also feeling an end to the iPod touch this time.


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Apple confirms Apple Store iPhone trade-in program has launched today

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 30 2013 - 7:22 am PT
17 Comments
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Photo from trade-in program training

In line with our reports from earlier this week, Apple has announced that its Apple Store iPhone trade-in-program has launched today. The confirmation comes by way of comment to CNBC.

The trade-in-program is officially called the “iPhone Reuse and Recycling Program” and it is available in Apple Stores across the United States. It is powered in-part by BrightStar…


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Apple offering free iTunes Festival songs in Apple Store app as part of sales push

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 29 2013 - 8:21 am PT
1 Comment

Continuing with its new push to offer free content to users through its Apple Store app, Apple today started offering users a selection of free songs under a new banner promoting the upcoming iTunes Festival. The new section promoting the iTunes Festival is currently offering six free songs with the offer set to expire on October 31. You can access the free content by navigating to a specific store location within the app, but the free content is currently only available to those in the US.

The song downloads follow Apple offering free apps such as Color Zen and free iBook titles through the Apple Store iOS app as part of a new sales push that we reported first back in July. The new initiative offers free content downloads through the Apple Store app as a way to boost content sales and awareness about the company’s App Stores, iTunes content, and iBooks. Apple Store employees are also being encouraged to install the Apple Store app on iOS devices sold in the store.

Apple iTunes Festival is scheduled to take place during the month of September in London, and the events will be streamed to iOS devices, iTunes, and even an app on the Apple TV.

Flurry of new Apple Stores on the way in Japan, France, China, Brazil & Italy

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 28 2013 - 7:14 am PT
6 Comments
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Tokyo skyline: vacationadvice101.com

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is planning its first new store in Tokyo since 2005.

Apple plans to open a store in Tokyo’s upscale Omotesando shopping district as early as March, according to a person familiar with the plans.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by February, the person said, asking not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak for Apple.

Tokyo is noted for its high land values. Bloomberg estimating the cost of the land at around $164M with the finished store expected to be worth a staggering $256M … 
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Apple revamps flagship SF store designs to address city concerns

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2013 - 5:27 am PT
2 Comments

Apple has revamped its plans for a new flagship San Francisco store in Union Square after concerns that a popular bronze fountain and sculpture would be removed, and that the building design wouldn’t offer sufficient visual interest from the exterior, reports SFGate.

Apple has presented city officials with a revised design for the flagship store it wants to build across from Union Square at Post and Stockton streets. And where the initial proposal in May consigned the fountain to an unknown fate, it now will stand amid steps leading up to a plaza between the back of the Apple Store and the side of the Grand Hyatt San Francisco.

The building design, designed to provide 45 percent more space than its existing Stockton store, also faced accusations that the steel and glass cube would be too boring for passers-by. Apple now plans a full-height window and skylight in what was to have been a featureless wall, and to set the glass frontage back to create a more interesting shape.

Apple’s US stores are the most profitable retail spaces in the country, beating even Tiffany and Harrods in earnings per square foot.

Via MacRumors

Apple planning to launch iPhone trade-in program by September

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 26 2013 - 8:55 am PT
16 Comments
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Apple is beginning final preparations to launch an iPhone trade-in program in its retail stores by next month, according to sources with knowledge of the initiative. This trade-in program will allow customers that own earlier versions of the iPhone, such as the iPhone 4S, to bring the phone into an Apple Store and exchange it for a new iPhone model, like the iPhone 5, at a discounted price…


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Apple Stores to push Macs to businesses with new Parallels/Windows 8 demos

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 17 2013 - 6:06 pm PT
18 Comments
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Apple is pushing its business-focused Apple Retail salespeople to sell Macs to businesses currently running in Windows environments, according to Apple retail employees briefed on the new initiative. Apple Retail Stores, in their business/professional sections, will now have a 27-inch iMac prepared with the Parallels Virtualization Software and Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system.

Select Apple Retail employees will also be trained on the Parallels and Windows software, and special Parallels demos have been created for Apple Stores. The goal of this new initiative is to push employees to be able to show businesses that currently work on Windows that all purposes of Windows could either be replaced or used (with Parallels) on a Mac computer.

For a number of years, Apple has pushed reasons how a Mac could replace a PC. This was heralded mainly via Apple’s Mac vs. PC ads. This new retail campaign, instead, focuses on the Mac operating system and Windows working together. Apple wants to leave no room for business customers to not know that they could switch to a Mac computer…


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Apple Store app now offering free book amid iBooks retail push

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 12 2013 - 9:05 am PT
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The iPhone Apple Store app has been updated over-the-air today to offer a free iBook download to customers. The book is Away in My Airplane by Margaret Wise Brown. According to a note sent to Apple retail employees today, the free book download is meant for employees to have context when discussing and pushing the iBooks app and iBookstore to customers.

As we reported last month, Apple will be pushing free content to the Apple Store app in order to entice customers to download the app. Apple Store employees are also instructed to ask new iOS Device customers to install the app. In turn, if more people have the Apple Store app on their devices, Apple could sell them more products.

The new book offer expires on August 28th, and it is exclusive to the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, and Sweden, according to an Apple employee.

As part of a general iBooks push, Apple started providing its retail employees with free book titles in order to boost familiarity of the service.

The Apple Store app received its first free piece of content in the form of the Color Zen iPhone app earlier this month.


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Apple offering discounts on some accessories in store this month

Avatar for Sarah Guarino Aug 6 2013 - 8:26 pm PT
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Apple Stores are offering some notable discounts on certain accessories this month, according to promotional material sent to us in a tip. Two of the deals started this week and a third starts on August 11th.

The first deal is 10% off of select Beats by Dre headphones and speakers. This deal ends on August 10th. The second deal ends on August 31st, and it is for $50 off of the Jawbone Big JamBox.


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‘FRS Excuses’ website showcases some possibly familiar statements from Apple Stores

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 2 2013 - 6:48 am PT
4 Comments

 

If you have ever gone to an Apple Store, some of the statements on the new FRSExcuses.com website might sound familiar. “FRS” is short for “Family Room Specialist,” and this is the title of Apple’s retail workers on the Apple Store showroom floor. To move through “excuses,” just click the excuse.


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What Chromecast? Apple drops refurb Apple TV $10 to $75

Avatar for Jul 31 2013 - 5:41 am PT
5 Comments
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From 9to5Toys.com:

One of the most highly touted features of the new Google Chromecast is its price tag, coming in at just $35. The Apple TV retails for $99 (Amazon sells it for $96) but includes a more expansive feature set including full mirroring capabilities, a beautiful user interface, physical remote and an abundance of compatible streaming services. In a possible reaction to the low Chromecast price, Apple has dropped a refurbished Apple TV 12% down to just $75 with free shipping. Although, this could be a planned price drop as Apple typically re-evaluates their refurb prices as products go through their life cycle. No matter the reason for the drop, at $75 with a 1-year Apple warranty this is our pick for the best current Apple TV deal.
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Chinese scalpers booking up all Genius Bar appointments & selling online

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jul 29 2013 - 5:21 am PT
11 Comments

Apple Store, Shanghai

Beijing Morning News reports that local ticket scalpers have found a new way to make money on Apple: booking up all available Genius Bar appointments and then offering them for sale online.

Ticket scalpers usually make their money by buying large quantities of event tickets as soon as they go on sale then illegally selling them for more than face value once the event is sold out. With Genius Bar appointments, they don’t even need to fork out cash in the first place: they just use a bunch of email addresses to make the appointments then advertise them online.

Appointments sell for 10- yuan ($1.60-6.40) in a country where the average monthly salary is equivalent to $580. A Beijing Morning News reporter found there were no appointments available on the Apple site for iPhone, iPad or iPod. They contacted one of the advertisers asking for an appointment the next day and were offered a choice of two local stores and two time slots. The reporter was sent login details for the booking by instant messenger, and was then able to access the booking on the Apple site to change the details to their own.

The reporter contacted Apple for comment, but had not received a reply at the time of writing.

Thanks, Numble.
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15th-Century ruins discovered during construction of Apple’s new Madrid flagship store

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jul 10 2013 - 5:04 am PT
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Spanish news site El País reports that what remains of a 15th Century hospital wall have been uncovered in what will become the basement of Apple’s new flagship store in Madrid, expected to open by the end of the year. The 6000-square metre store will be Apple’s 11th store in Spain, and its fourth in the capital, Madrid.

The technology giant’s renovation of the building located at number 1, Puerta del Sol — formerly the Paris Hotel — led to the discovery of the outer walls of the Buen Suceso hospital, next to the church of the same name. Both buildings were demolished in 1854 to make room for the square.

The remains of the church were initially discovered during the construction of the new Sol Metro and Cercanías light rail station in June 2009, halting the project for 10 months. The ruins were subsequently preserved in the mezzanine of the station, sheltered behind glass partitions.

The permit to develop the site was issued in the knowledge that further ruins might be discovered.

Apple is said to have considered installing a section of glass floor to allow the ruins to be viewed in a similar manner to the rail station…
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Apple Stores also discounting select Epson printers, get $20 off until Sept. 6

Avatar for Mark Gurman Jul 9 2013 - 3:20 pm PT
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Yesterday we reported that Apple is discounting select HP printers models in its stores for $50. This is an instant $50 savings and no rebate is required. We also reported that Apple would be heavily promoting Epson printers in its stores for the summer, but there had not been any indication of a similar sale for that brand. However, we’ve now learned that select Epson models will be reduced in price by $20 (image above). The sale runs until September 6th.


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Apple launches 2013 Back to School promo: $100 App Store card with Macs, $50 card with iPhone/iPad

Avatar for Mark Gurman Jul 2 2013 - 2:14 am PT
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As we reported would occur, Apple has just launched its annual Back to School promotion for students. The program launched in January for students in Australia, and today, the new program was opened up for students in the United States and several other nations across the world.

Like we reported, the program offers students a $100 Mac App Store/iTunes Store/iBookstore gift card with purchase of a new Mac computer. $50 gift cards of the same kind are offered for iPad and iPhone (for the first time) purchases…


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Apple likely to kick off Back to School promo this week; $100 gift cards with Macs, $50 cards with iPad/iPhone

Avatar for Mark Gurman Jul 1 2013 - 11:01 am PT
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Last year’s <a href="http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5795702-100-Apple-iTunes-App-Store-gift-card">card</a>

Update (July 2nd): Yep. Runs until September 6th. $100 card with Macs, $50 with iPad/iPhone.

Apple will likely begin its annual Back to School promotion this week (perhaps as soon as tomorrow), according to Apple retail sources. The promotion will give eligible students an iTunes/App Store gift card with the purchase of a Mac, iPad, and for the first time, an iPhone. The gift cards that come with Mac purchases will be worth 100$ while the cards accompanying the iOS Devices will be worth $50…


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Apple Online Store opens in Russia, establishes direct sales in key emerging market

Avatar for Mark Gurman Jun 25 2013 - 11:26 pm PT
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Today, Apple has finally launched a version of its official online store for customers in Russia. The online store is similar in style to Apple’s online stores in other countries. Customers in Russia are now able to order iPhones, iPads, iPods, Macs, accessories, and more directly from Apple to their homes. Apple is celebrating the launch by taking up Apple Russia’s homepage to announce the new store (image above)…


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New Apple Store at QuakerBridge Mall near Princeton, NJ opening Saturday (Updated)

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Jun 23 2013 - 9:21 pm PT
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9to5Mac reader @TylerBiedka over the weekend visited the upcoming site of a new Apple Store at the QuakerBridge Mall just a few miles south of Princeton, NJ.

It has been speculation that Apple will be opening a new store in the newly upgraded QuakerBridge Mall, just 5 miles south of Princeton University sometime this fall.
It seems as though they might be ahead of schedule. I was there just last night, and the traditional black barrier was up with the logo and website. Although today was a different story. The black barrier was gone, the steel frame is exposed, and just the glass is covered in black wrap. (Please see attached images).
In addition, as I walked up to the store, my iPhone 5 picked up on the Apple Store wifi. It seems as though the store will be open early to mid july. (Please see attached wifi screenshot).

The new store site hasn’t exactly been a secret but with a working Wifi and the telltale black signage, it would appear that the Autumn opening speculation might be a bit conservative.

Update: (June 25th) The Store page has gone live indicating that it will open on Saturday morning.

Apple building a new flagship store in Palo Alto – close by the Microsoft one

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 17 2013 - 7:16 am PT
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ifoAppleStore (via TechCrunch) reports that Apple is building a new “big, visually stunning” flagship store in Palo Alto – in the Stanford shopping center, close to the store Microsoft opened last year.

This store design was completed in 2011 by Apple’s long-time architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. It was approved by Steve Jobs about six months before Tim Cook assumed the position of CEO in August of that year. It took another year to refine the design and obtain building approvals. Demolition on the former building began late last year.

If you’re keen to get a preview of what Apple has planned for its retail stores, Palo Alto is reputedly the place to be … 
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iPad and iPod pricing increased in Japan, reportedly due to weaker Yen

Avatar for Mark Gurman May 30 2013 - 6:06 pm PT
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Today, Apple’s online store for Japan was updated with a slew of new prices for models of the iPad, iPad mini, and the various iPods. The pricing is higher than before today’s update. The price hikes are reportedly due to a weaker Yen (Japan’s currency). For example, as shown in the above image, both the iPad mini and 4th generation iPad prices have been escalated. A similar transformation has occurred for the iPod touch:


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Apple drops education pricing on entry level MacBook Pro to $999 ($200 off retail)

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 30 2013 - 8:32 am PT
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Apple is making quite a few quiet announcements today. Earlier it introduced a new stripped down $229 fifth-gen iPod touch to replace the fourth-gen touch and also announced 100M iPod touches sold to date. Apple has also now made a change to its education pricing on non Retina MacBook Pros by dropping the $1099 entry level price point to $999. That makes the price of the device $200 cheaper than Apple charges to non education customers.

Apple has not yet made an official announcement, but several 9to5 readers noticed the pricing change early this morning. The second up 2.9GHz MacBook Pro is also now selling for $1,299 ($200 off retail compared to the $100 off most models are available for).

While the new pricing is of course only available to those that qualify for an education discount, we’ve been seeing the same deal pop up on 9to5Toys quite frequently.


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