A number of retailers are lowering prices on Apple’s iPad lineup, suggesting a possible refresh in the near future. Apple is expected to announce the release date for a brand new iPad 5 with a design similar to the current iPad mini. The company is also expected to release an iPad mini with a Retina Display, among other features. On Wednesday, Walmart lowered the price of the iPad mini to $299, offering customers a reasonable discount and matching the price of the iPad with that of the new fifth generation iPod touch.

Now, Best Buy appears to be following suit, lowering prices on older models of the iPad, specifically the third generation iPad by up to 30 percent. This means that a 16GB WiFi model will now be only $315, as opposed to the same model from Apple, which is currently being sold as a refurbished unit for $379. However, the Richfield, Minnesota based company is restricting the discount to in-store pickup only and the selection of devices is different for each location.

This likely means that the company may have a limited supply of third generation iPads and is looking towards a possible refresh. Overall, customers who purchase the older model will be able to buy a full sized iPad, running the same A5 processor as the current iPad mini, and a Retina Display as well. In terms of price, with Best Buy’s discount, the purchase is not bad for customers who don’t care for yearly software and hardware upgrades.

{Via MacRumors}

According to a report from Reuters, Walmart is expanding its ‘Scan & Go’ Self-checkout system to over 200 of its retail stores. The system, which is similar to Apple’s own EasyPay system is modeled around iOS devices and allows customers of Walmart stores to pay for their shopping items at a checkout station while exiting the store.

For now, “Scan & Go” only works on Apple Inc devices. An Android version should be out soon, Walmart said.

With more than half of its shoppers using smartphones, Walmart is trying to make shopping more convenient for shoppers who embrace mobile technology. More than half of the customers who have tried the “Scan & Go” feature have used it more than once, [Walmart senior vice president Gibu] Thomas said.

The system is currently in a testing phase in only 70 of Walmart’s retail locations, but will be in over 200 stores. Walmart already has the system running in stores in a number of areas, including Georgia, Arkansas, Vancouver, Washington and California. With this expansion, Walmart plans to move west to the following areas:

Walmart is bringing “Scan & Go” into a dozen more markets: Denver, Colorado; Phoenix, Arizona; Omaha, Nebraska; Dallas and Austin, Texas; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Wyoming; Bozeman, Montana; Seattle, Washington; San Jose, California; and Portland, Oregon.

This likely means that the new self-checkout system has proved to be efficient and user-friendly in the company’s pilot testing locations. Walmart is one of the world’s largest corporations that operates discount department stores and warehouse stores, and with widespread adoption of Apple’s iOS devices, this new system could prove to be successful in a number of Walmart’s stores. As a result, Walmart could save money on employees, especially during off-peak hours of shopping when stores are mostly empty. The ‘Scan & Go’ feature is available through Walmart’s free iOS app {Direct Link}, much like Apple’s EasyPay app.

{Via MacRumors}

This means that customers who purchase an iPhone 5 with Walmart and Straight Talk will be receiving AT&T’s fast voice and data at half of the cost of what they would pay with an individual plan from AT&T. It is unclear at this point whether customers of the Straight Talk plan will have access to AT&T’s LTE network.

Walmart and Straight Talk Wireless, America’s largest and top rated no-contract cell phone provider, today put the power back in the hands of customers with an industry game changing offer. Starting on January 11, 2013 in more than 2,000 Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com, customers now have access to the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4 on Straight Talk’s $45 no contract unlimited talk, text and data plan. To make this offer even more affordable, Walmart will be offering customers who purchase the phone in the store, a no interest fixed-monthly payments special financing offer for only $25 a month with a Walmart Credit Card.

The Straight Talk wireless no contract plan, exclusive to Walmart, saves consumers on average $950 a year when they switch from conventional contract plans with similar unlimited plans. To learn more about how Straight Talk Wireless saves consumers $950 a year, please visit:www.straighttalk.com.

Walmart and Straight Talk are selling the iPhone differently than other plans, setting up a no-interest fixed payment plan for $25 a month. Other plans, such as those from Virgin Mobile charge users the full unsubsidized price, which can range anywhere from $600 to $800 USD. With Straight Talk, customers will now pay a total of $70 a month which not only includes the price of the unlimited everything plan, but the actual phone as well.

The iPhone 4 is also being offered with the same price structure of the iPhone 5, but will be slightly cheaper overall. On Straight Talk, the Black or White iPhone 5 will be $649 (16GB only), and the Black or White iPhone 4 will be available for $449 (8GB model).

{Via MacRumors)

Apple has been expanding their retail stores all over the world, with over 357 retail stores worldwide with plans to build a number of others in China and the United States. Now, Apple is expanding their retail efforts by setting up new product displays in Walmart stores around the country. Although Best Buy has had smaller Apple product displays in their stores for quite some time, this is the first time that Apple has introduced such a wide variety of products and accessories in a major retail outlet other than its own stores. The first Apple Store within a store was spotted in an Arkansas Walmart, where ifoapplestore snapped a couple of pictures and posted them online.

A report from 9to5Mac also speculated that the displays may be a prototype for future expansion into the Sam’s Club retail chain, which is the warehouse retail division of Walmart. Sam’s Club is usually within the same retail area as Walmart and are readily available in areas that do not have a local Apple Store. The new displays have back-lit graphics, just like the Apple Stores, the same classic wood table, the iconic array of display products and under-table accessory storage.

The under-table accessory storage features the same products available in the Apple Store, with anything from chargers, docks and headphones. This new display is available in Lowell, a town of 7,500 residents. The town does not have a local Apple Store, and would therefore benefit from the new store within a store at the local Walmart. At this point, this is the only known Apple Store within a Walmart in the United States, however, Apple will likely expand this idea into other Walmart Store, and maybe eventually Sam’s Club as well. This is a great idea not only for Apple and its retail expansion, but for the other retail stores such as Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.

{via ifoapplestore}

With rumors of iPad 3 release date announcement and parts all around the web, new details keep appearing which continue to point to the fact that Apple is looking to introduce iPad 3 in early March. Usually, prior to Apple’s announcement, major resellers of Apple hardware, such as Best Buy cut prices and clear out inventory for upcoming refreshes.

On Monday, Best Buy began to offer a $50 discount on the iPad 2, dropping down the price to $449.99 for the 16GB WiFi model. Alongside these price counts, Engadget reports that Best Buy is updating its internal inventory management systems to show a “deleted” status for the current iPad 2.

Best Buy generally does not have knowledge of product announcements, however, with numerous credible reports suggesting that the iPad 3 is expected to be released on or around March 7th, the retailer is readying for stock of the next gen iPad. Other stores have also cut prices on the iPad 2, including grocery and retail store chain Meijer, which reduced the entry-level iPad for $429, a $70 discount from the regular retail price.

Meijer’s prices have since then, returned to normal, but it is likely that the chain is preparing for an iPad refresh. In the past, all major retailers have cut prices on the previous generation iPhone and iPad, including RadioShack and Walmart, which may reduce the price as the iPad 3 release date nears.

{via MacRumors}

On Monday, prior to Apple’s WWDC, Walmart announced that through the rest of June, they are offering the 16GB iPhone 4 for $147 which is more than $50 off the usual $199 price, with a two-year contract. The price reduction, which officially began yesterday, applies to both the AT&T and Verizon versions of the iPhone 4, now bringing the overall price down to $147, a major drop for a relatively popular iPhone.

It is unclear whether Apple will follow with this price cut in their retail stores as they have in past years. The price cut was announced just hours before Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote, a media event where Apple usually unveils the next-generation iPhone.

Unfortunately, there was no iPhone 5 / 4S during this years conference. Steve Jobs and other executives announced iOS 5, OS X Lion and iCloud during the event.

The reduced price offer for iPhone 4 goes through June 30, and coincides with reports that there will be no iPhone 5 until the Fall at least. Discounts of this magnitude are often rare, similar to a sale that RadioShack conducted last year, cutting the price of the iPhone for as much as $50, which in turn, left all of its nationwide stores sold out of the popular device.

{via AppleInsider}

A new report from CrunchGear published today has revealed that Apple may be unhappy with Best Buy for holding back stock of the iPad 2 after reaching their daily sales quota. Despite the overwhelming demand for the second generation device, and the difficult consumers are having with trying to acquire one, the retailer refused to sell more than they needed to each day so that they could meet sales quotas the following day.

According to the Best Buy employee speaking to CrunchGear, Apple really isn’t happy about this, and Tim Cook – who is stepping in for Steve Jobs while he’s away – is personally trying to get the issue resolved.

Demand for the iPad 2 since its launch has been staggering – with retailers selling the device quicker than they can get the units in. In its first weekend, the tablet sold an estimated 500,000 units over its first weekend alone, so you can imagine the frustration from both Apple and consumers at Best Buy’s silly sales method – informing customers that the device was sold out, when in fact, their stock room was littered with them.

As well as Best Buy and Apple’s own retail stores, customers looking to get their hands on an iPad 2 in the U.S. can also find them in Target, Walmart, AT&T and Verizon stores, and possibly Toys ‘R’ Us in the coming weeks. However, Best Buy is Apple’s largest third-party sales partner, and despite their displeasure at Best Buy’s sales techniques, it’s hard to believe the Cupertino company will drop the retail giant altogether.

Instead, I think Best Buy will receive a firm slap on the wrist from Tim Cook and his team and will be watched a little more closely in the near future.

So, if you’re still trying to get your hands on an iPad 2 in the U.S., it might be a good idea to try Best Buy today as they pull out all the stock they’ve been saving up out back.