‘Spring forward’ banners have been put up at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts ahead of todays media event. The banners show the same Apple logo that was sent in the invite. Some onlookers also noticed an additional temporary building being constructed which is believed to be Apple Watch demo area. The temporary structure was seen guarded by security staff at all times.

Apple is expected to announce Apple Watch launch date for the U.S. alongside a few other chosen countries. We know that the Sport model will cost $349 however, the price for the Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition has been unknown all this while. According to John Gruber of Daring Fireball here’s what the Apple Watch pricing could be:

Apple Watch Sport (all colors, with Sport Band): $349/399
Apple Watch, steel, Sport Band: $749/799
Apple Watch, steel, Classic Buckle: $849/899
Apple Watch, steel, Milanese Loop: $949/999
Apple Watch, steel, Modern Buckle (38mm only): $1199
Apple Watch, steel, Leather Loop (42mm only): $1299
Apple Watch, steel, Link Bracelet: $1499/1599
Apple Watch, space black steel, Link Bracelet: $1899/1999
Apple Watch Edition, Sport Band: $7499/7999
Apple Watch Edition, Modern Buckle (38mm only): $9999
Apple Watch Edition, Classic Buckle (42mm only): $10,999

According to another rumour Apple’s new SVP of Retail and Online sales Angela Ahrendts and SVP of Design Jony Ive collaborated to transform Apple retail stores to create new shopping experience for customers coming in to buy the company’s first wearable device. It is possible that Ahrendts makes her first appearance on stage to talk about the state of Apple retail.

Visit Apple’s website to live stream the media event. What are your expectations from today’s event? Do you think Apple will announce the Retina MacBook Air or new Apple TV? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

A photo posted by Dieter Bohn (@backlon) on Mar 9, 2015 at 7:46am PDT

According to a new report published by WSJ, it is believed that almost half of the 5 million units will be the entry-level Apple Watch Sports model and one-third of production will account for the mid-tier Apple Watch model.

The high-end Apple Watch Edition model that features 18-karat gold casing will be available in very limited supply initially however, the company is expected to ramp up production to about one million units every month in the second quarter.

Apple Watch Sports model will be priced at $349 however, price of other two models hasn’t been revealed yet. Apple Watch Edition is expected to be priced around $5000 or more. There have been rumours about Jony Ive and Angela Ahrendts working together to redesign Apple retail stores to showcase the Edition model.

I believe it is unprecedented in the watch industry for a luxury model to be assembled in China.

John Gruber of Daring Fireball earlier today published his thoughts on Apple Watch Edition model being assembled in China and said, “I have wondered, idly, whether Apple might assemble the Edition models in the U.S., like they do with Mac Pros, to further their prestige.” However, in order to manage the scale of one million units China may be the only option Apple has.

Apple Watch will be the first new product category that the company launched since the iPad in 2010. Apple sold about 7.5 million iPads in the first six months of its availability and it will be interesting to see if Apple Watch launch will be a blockbuster of Apple.

Apple has updated their online store with a teaser page for a “One-Day shopping event” for Black Friday. Black Friday is on, November 23rd, the day after Thanksgiving and Apple generally tends to give discounts on many of its products, including Mac, iPad, and iPod.

The Black Friday sales online and in-stores marks the start of the holiday shopping for both Apple and other retailers that offer steep discounts on many of their products. This kicks off nationwide holiday sales through the first week of January.

The one-day Apple shopping event is Friday, 23 November.

Get ready to give. Shop online or visit your favourite Apple Retail Store.
We’ll help you make the most of the day, no matter how you shop.

Apple also offers these discounts internationally, both online and in stores as a way to boost sales by offering reasonable discounts. Last year, in the US and other countries, Apple offered the following discounts:

iPad 2 – $41 to $61 Off
iPod nano – $11 off
iPod Touch – $21 to $41 off
MacBook Air – $101 off
MacBook Pro – $101 off
iMac – $101 off

It is unclear how much Apple will be discounting this year, with the addition of the iPad mini and new iMac lineup.

{Via MacRumors}

Apple Inc. (AAPL) began selling its new iPad mini and the 4th generation iPad just last week and has already sold a record three million iPads in three days. According to Apple, this number is double the previous first weekend record of 1.5 million Wi-Fi models sold for the third generation iPad this past March.

Apple noted in the press release for the record announcement that the WiFi+Cellular versions of the iPad mini and the 4th generation iPad would be available in several weeks, in the US and numerous other countries. Apple CEO Tim Cook seemed optimistic about the new iPad mini and commented on the sale of the iPad mini and fourth generation iPad.

Customers around the world love the new iPad mini and fourth generation iPad. We set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis. We’re working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand.

The iPad mini, with a new 7.9 inch screen, FsceTime HD camera and LTE wireless is setting up to be a big hit for Apple in the market, and the company will likely continue to sell more in volume as the holiday season approaches. Apple retail stores and the online store have been trying to keep up with demand for the iPad mini for the past several days, and will likely continue to sell them in record numbers for several months until the demand evens with the supply.

{Via Apple PR}

Apple will begin stocking iPhone 5 cases in bulk by the end of this month according to multiple sources, allowing users of the newest iPhone to simply walk into a store and access a range of different cases for their device. With the iPhone 5, Apple did not introduce a case of their own, leaving the development entirely up to third party manufacturers.

9to5Mac reported that their sources point to the week of October 22 as the timeframe in which Apple will begin to stock third party cases but also noted that this time could change based on the availability of supplies to produce the cases.

Companies such as Belkin and Griffin are longtime partners of Apple for producing third party cases for iOS and Mac products, and will likely be the first companies to make their iPhone 5 cases available in Apple’s retail stores. iPhone 5 cases that protect the edges and back of the device are likely to be popular because the new aluminum enclosure on the 5 is prone to scratches, more than previous generations of the iPhone.

Do you own an iPhone 5? Are you going to pick up case when they go on sale?

During Apple’s September 12th media event, the Cupertino company announced the iPhone 5 and alongside of it, an all new 5th generation iPod touch 5G and iPod nano. On Tuesday, customers who pre-ordered the new lineup of iPods received word that their new purchases has shipped and will arrive in about a week. Many customers have reported that their iPods are shipping directly from China for the orders that were placed on or around September 14th. They are expected to arrive as early as next Monday.

Last month, the company promised that the new iPod touch 5G and iPod nano would ship in October and has stuck by that promise, beginning the process fairly early this month. Apple’s new iPod touch brings the larger 4 inch screen from the iPhone 5 over to the iPod, and also features the new Lightning connector, a 1.2MP FaceTime camera and a 5 MP iSight camera.

The iPod nano features a larger Multi-Touch screen, Bluetooth connectivity, and even a home button. Apple has not put up the iPod displays in the Apple Store, but will likely begin setting them up as more and more customers receive their devices and the company gets more orders. Currently, Apple Retail Stores are still selling the 4th gen iPod touch and 6th generation iPod nano.

{Via AppleInsider}

Apple Inc. (AAPL) recently announced that they are planning to open their newest retail store in Barcelona, Spain on July 28th. The Cupertino company’s Passeig de Gràcia retail store will officially be opening on Saturday, July 28th at 10:00 AM. This is the same time of day that Apple holds all grand openings or reopenings around the world.

During grand openings, the company often gives out food from local bakeries and coffee shops, as well as the iconic commemorative t-shirts designed for each individual store. Apple’s Retail Stores often reflect a fair amount of culture from the town or country in which they are placed and in the Passeig de Gràcia retail store, the Cupertino company has used mosaics in the store’s logo.

The mosaics and construction barriers, adopt the artistic style of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí’s modernista style appears in many buildings and galleries across Spain, and reflects artistic accents from religion, as can be seen in the intricate mosaics at the Apple Store.

The mosaics at the Apple Store are made up of pieces of iOS icons from the App Store, and pulls together Gaudí’s style with Apple’s technological innovations. The Passeig de Gràcia will be Apple’s second store in Barcelona and eighth and most recent retail store in Spain.

{via MacRumors — Image Credit: Gadgetsteria}

On Tuesday, Apple Inc. (AAPL) issued a press release, announcing that the 3rd generation iPad would be launching in China on July 20th.

In China the new iPad will be available through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), select Apple Authorized Resellers and by reservation from Apple retail stores. Reservation requests will be accepted daily from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. beginning Thursday, July 19 for pick up the following day. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at a more affordable price starting at just $399 (US).

AAPL recently settled a dispute over the “iPad” trademark in China and was likely holding the release until the issue was resolved. The settlement was worth $60 million and gave Apple the rights to use the name. Although China is one the last countries to receive the new iPad 3, the introduction is a smart move by Apple and will positively affect their international revenue.

It should take only a week or two for China’s national trademark authority to transfer the iPad trademark for China to Apple, added Mr. Xie, of the Grandall Legal Group in Shenzhen.

China and other parts of Asia are a large part of Apple’s quarterly revenue and has become a crucial business strategy for the Cupertino, Calif. based company. Apple launched the new iPad earlier this year, in March, with an updated A5X chip, Retina Display, and a 5 megapixel iSight camera.

{via Apple}

Apple’s Retail Stores have been increasing in numbers all over the world and with millions of customers visiting each store, the company is devising new ways to organize and help each of them. Each retail store is expected to generate profit, and with Apple’s “open” format, the visitors who come in to check out Macs, iPods, and iPhones are the customers. According to a report from ifoAppleStore, Apple is testing out a new layout for the Genius Bar to create more space and allow one genius to help more customers at the same time. The Genius’ would use iPads to access records and set up customers as opposed to the MacBooks that bolted onto the bar. An image of the new Genius Bar shows a 10 foot long counter with stools on both sides and is now moved 15 inches from the rear wall of the store.

According to the report, this is done to allow the employees to move to either side of the table. As a result, Genius’ can now likely switch customers easily, and in any situation can move them to another section of the table if necessary. Cables and electronics set up for the Bar are visible below the table, and drawers for the equipment and replacement supplies are still located in the rear wall. The drawers are part of the wall, as they are now and stay out of the way, until a product needs to be taken out. With this new design, Apple will now be removing the popular kids section and will enlarge and revamp many stores to accommodate space.

Earlier this year, Apple replaced the iMacs in the Kids section with the iPad, and will likely now move the entire kids section near the iPad tables. The Bar, turned 90 degrees, allows smaller stores, in malls and other locations to accommodate, more tables and more product displays. The new redesign fits in nicely with Apple’s push to make their stores more mobile and efficient. In the past, Apple set up employees with iPods and iPads for ringing up sales, replaced glass information cards with iPads, and created personal setup tables for helping a customer and getting them out of the store in as little time as possible.

{Via ifoAppleStore}

Apple has long been scrutinized by the press and the public for the way the company handled employee wages and the manufacturing process of their products. The most recent, a report from the NYTimes criticized Apple for the low wages that their retail store employees received. However, earlier in the week, a report from Business Insider revealed that Apple may be gearing up to give their employees a $4 per hour raise in their wages.

Other news reports, including one from Dow Jones Newswires suggests that the wage increase will be much bigger, about 25% of the hourly rate, which according to the report, is anywhere from $9 to $15 for the sales staff. Geniuses at Retail Stores earn up to $30 per hour and would benefit greatly from the 25% wage increase.

Employees began learning of the raises in face-to-face meetings with managers last week, according to three Apple employees in various regions across the U.S. The raises, which are based on performance, will begin appearing in paychecks around the middle of July, two of these people said. […]

Apple has not formally announced any plans to raise wages, however, credible reports and severe criticism in the last several weeks may lead the company to give workers a bump in pay. A 25% wage increase is great for retail store employees who feel they are underappreciated, and alongside health benefits, major product discounts, and stock options, definitely puts Apple’s Retail Store jobs far above other retail chains.

{via MacRumors}

According to a report from ifoAppleStore, Apple is all set to open a new retail store in Paris. This new location is its sixth retail store in the metropolitan area of Paris and one of the more spacious and extravagnt ones available in a mall.

The huge store will be located on Level 1 adjacent to the Gap store. The five-level mall is located in the La Défense district of Paris, along the north extension of the Champs Elysées, and sits adjacent to the iconic Grande Arche building.

The store will be the eleventh store overall in France and is part of Apple’s plans to continue to increase its international presence. France is now the fifth most popular country for retail stores, after other countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Apple normally does not put its larger retail stores inside of malls or stations, but has recognized the potential for more foot traffic.

One of the first major Apple Stores in a cluster of retail shops was Apple’s Grand Central store in New York City. The details for the Les Quatre Temps store have not yet been revealed and square footage of the store is yet unknown. The opening of the Les Quatre Temps store is scheduled for this Friday, May 25th.

{via MacRumors — Image Credit: MacGenerations}

FaceTime, even with the faster 4G LTE on the iPad 3 is limited mainly because of carriers worrying about the overuse of data, which can bog down the network and can ultimately slow it for other users. On Thursday, in a report, The Verge revealed that FaceTime does not work on LTE network. A notification pops up, alerting the user that they are not connected to a WiFi and that FaceTime does not operate over 4G LTE.

In June 2010, Steve Jobs noted during the iPhone 4 keynote that Apple had yet to work with carriers in order to allow usage of FaceTime over 3G or 4G. Currently, Apple limits most of their products unless they can guarantee that the users will get a seamless experience and this most certainly falls in that category. Apple will likely allow FaceTime over 4G once the iPhone receives faster 4G LTE networking. This means that FaceTime over cellular network, unfortunately, may be limited for a few more years.

Former Senior Vice President of Retail, Ron Johnson left Apple Inc. (AAPL) to join J.C Penney as CEO last November, and left no one to take his spot. Johnson spearheaded many ideas for the retail stores and kept Apple’s over 300 retail stores operating and increasing presence all around the world.

On Tuesday, AAPL announced that they have named John Brownett as the new Senior Vice President of Retail who will be leaving his current position as CEO of Dixons Retail. Dixons Retail is one of the largest consumer electronics retailer in Europe with over 40,000 employees. Dixons has already announced that Browett’s position as CEO will be filled by Sebastian James.

Apple® today announced that John Browett will join the company as senior vice president of Retail, reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Browett comes to Apple from European technology retailer Dixons Retail, where he has been CEO since 2007. Beginning in April, he will be responsible for Apple’s retail strategy and the continued expansion of Apple retail stores around the world.

“Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we’ve met,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple.

Prior to his role as CEO at Dixons Retail, Browett held executive postions at Tesco plc including CEO of Tesco.com, and also advised retail and consumer goods clients at Boston Consulting Group. Brownett holds a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and an MBA from Wharton Business School.

With Browett’s exceptional background in retail and his experience advising large groups, there is no doubt that Apple has chosen him as SVP of Retail. Browett officially makes the transition to Apple in April, where he will take on all of Ron Johnon’s previous duties running Apple’s Retail sector.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) opened its first retail stores in the US long ago, giving customers a whole new retail experience, allowing them to use the devices hands on, try out the products and provide them with help if needed. Now, over a decade later, AAPL is opening up retail stores all around the world.

Apple has branched out to China, London, Japan, and many other countries. However, in a recent report from Indian business newspaper, Mint, it was mentioned that Apple is looking to increase their presence in India and is looking to open a number of retail stores in major retail districts.

Apple Inc. may open its own shops following the Indian government allowing full ownership of single-brand retail stores by foreign companies, according to a senior official of the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP).

The maker of the iPad and iPhone has been in discussion with the department for some time and is keen to re-enter Indian market after an earlier bid to do so in 2006, said the official on condition of anonymity.

The report also suggests that Apple went ahead with plans to make stores in India after the Indian government decided to eliminate ownership requirements, which previously required retail stores such as Apple Stores to have at least 49% domestic investment.

However, problems remain, with Apple being forced to source 30% of their product value from small businesses in India. Regulators are willing to address the requirement based on the guarantee of whether Apple will be moving their retail presence to India. Mint’s report also suggested that Apple attempted to open a tech support call center in India in 2006 in order to expand its presence but later drew back the effort and scrapped the idea.

However, if Apple were to open retail stores in India, a large influence of Apple products would spread across the east, starting with China, which is a large part of Apple’s international profits.

{via MacRumors}

Over the last year, Apple has expanded their number of retail stores, including a new Apple Retail Store in the heart of Manhattan, in Grand Central Station. On Monday, ifoAppleStore reported that Apple is planning to open a new ‘Transparent’ retail store in France and Switzerland.

The new Apple Store, reported to be built in the Aix en Provence is planned to be a major architectural accomplishment for Apple, one that closely resembles Apple’s Upper West Side store. The rendering of the images show a mock-up of the store, with what it would look like on an average day with an almost invisible outer wall, showing the tables and display models of iPhone, iPod touches, and iPads set up inside.

The walls and ceiling are expected to be constructed of a special glass, different from the ones currently used, that allow the interior of the store to be entirely visible from a reasonable distance. The retail store located in the south of France has fair weather and a good share of customers walking through the shopping area.

The tourism office located on the south side of Place du General de Gaulle is going to be taken down, and replaced by the proposed Apple Store, which is expected to be open by open by late 2012 or early 2013. Apple’s Stores usually take anywhere from 6-8 months, with planning, construction, and opening, and it is a rather fast pace for any retail establishment.

According to WSJ Apple is now preparing to penetrate the Chinese market further as it plans to open a new store in Shanghai which is rumored to be the largest in China.

The company is planning to open a new store – it’s biggest in China – on Shanghai’s famous Nanjing Road, an Apple spokeswoman has confirmed to China Real Time after news of the plan appeared in Thursday’s Beijing Youth Daily.

This seems to be a very obvious move by Apple to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to its retail store and offer everyone a great shopping experience. Apple retail stores over the last few years have helped in selling the latest iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Macs to people who had never used an Apple product before.

Another rumor reported recently suggests that Apple is planning to open a new retail store in Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal too. With more than $40 billion in cash they are certainly making a good move to establish more retail stores to retain its dominance.

Do you think Apple should continue to open more retail stores? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.