Apple's Jobs mulls New York appearance
Apple Computer chief executive Steve Jobs may make a rare appearance in New York City later this month to help the iPod maker cut the ribbon on a high-profile retail store in the heart of Manhattan, AppleInsider has learned.
Industry contacts who sometimes receive advance notice of Mr. Jobs' public appearances say the Apple boss had been a "definite" to make the trip cross-country until a few weeks ago.
More recently there has been talk that Apple may tone down the launch of the highly anticipated flagship location and that Mr. Jobs may elect to remain on the west coast for the event, these contacts say.
The 20,000-square-foot retail store in the underground concourse of the General Motors building at 767 Fifth Avenue, between 58th and 59th Street in Midtown, will begin serving customers 24-hours a day sometime later this month. It's expected that the store will open on or near the fifth anniversary of Apple's first retail store on May 19th.
A hollow $9 million 32-foot glass cube designed and paid for by Mr. Jobs will rest atop the subterranean Apple heaven, like a jumbo gemstone marking the entranceway to the retail extravaganza.
Construction workers at the site of store last month could be seen replacing titanium constraints that hold the cube's glass panels together, after Mr. Jobs reportedly complained that the materials interrupted the esthetic of the structure.
The mercurial CEO has been known to alter his public appearance plans as often as he changes moods. Last September, he bailed on delivering the opening keynote presentation at Apple Expo when kinks turned up within the company's product pipeline. The Paris, France-based show, AppleInsider was told, had been slated to host the introduction of new G4 PowerBooks, iMacs, and even the fifth-generation video iPod -- all of which eventually made their debut in the weeks that followed the expo.
Of somewhat more relevance, Mr. Jobs had also planned to attend the grand opening of another one of Apple's flagship retails in London, England in November of 2004. Despite making the trip overseas, Mr. Jobs failed to appear at the store's opening, instead remaining at his hotel due to a health-related issue, sources told AppleInsider at the time.
Regardless of whether Mr. Jobs attends the opening of the Midtown Apple store, other company execs such as Senior Vice President Retail, Ron Johnson, are expected to put in an appearance.
In the meantime, rumors continue to swirl around another potential Apple event during the month of May, which would be used to usher in the company's much awaited MacBook line of Intel-based consumer notebooks and some other "iPod product." However, no specific dates have been mentioned.
Industry contacts who sometimes receive advance notice of Mr. Jobs' public appearances say the Apple boss had been a "definite" to make the trip cross-country until a few weeks ago.
More recently there has been talk that Apple may tone down the launch of the highly anticipated flagship location and that Mr. Jobs may elect to remain on the west coast for the event, these contacts say.
The 20,000-square-foot retail store in the underground concourse of the General Motors building at 767 Fifth Avenue, between 58th and 59th Street in Midtown, will begin serving customers 24-hours a day sometime later this month. It's expected that the store will open on or near the fifth anniversary of Apple's first retail store on May 19th.
A hollow $9 million 32-foot glass cube designed and paid for by Mr. Jobs will rest atop the subterranean Apple heaven, like a jumbo gemstone marking the entranceway to the retail extravaganza.
Construction workers at the site of store last month could be seen replacing titanium constraints that hold the cube's glass panels together, after Mr. Jobs reportedly complained that the materials interrupted the esthetic of the structure.
The mercurial CEO has been known to alter his public appearance plans as often as he changes moods. Last September, he bailed on delivering the opening keynote presentation at Apple Expo when kinks turned up within the company's product pipeline. The Paris, France-based show, AppleInsider was told, had been slated to host the introduction of new G4 PowerBooks, iMacs, and even the fifth-generation video iPod -- all of which eventually made their debut in the weeks that followed the expo.
Of somewhat more relevance, Mr. Jobs had also planned to attend the grand opening of another one of Apple's flagship retails in London, England in November of 2004. Despite making the trip overseas, Mr. Jobs failed to appear at the store's opening, instead remaining at his hotel due to a health-related issue, sources told AppleInsider at the time.
Regardless of whether Mr. Jobs attends the opening of the Midtown Apple store, other company execs such as Senior Vice President Retail, Ron Johnson, are expected to put in an appearance.
In the meantime, rumors continue to swirl around another potential Apple event during the month of May, which would be used to usher in the company's much awaited MacBook line of Intel-based consumer notebooks and some other "iPod product." However, no specific dates have been mentioned.
Comments
Originally posted by AppleInsider
In the meantime, rumors continue to swirl around another potential Apple event during the month of May, which would be used to usher in the company's much awaited MacBook line of Intel-based consumer notebooks and some other "iPod product." However, no specific dates have been mentioned.
Where do you guys get this info?
"some other iPod product" gosh your a good tease
Getting more like Howard Hughes every day! Mind you, after seeing the proportion of male bathroom visitors who fail to use the washbasin (the Seinfeld episode sums this up nicely), I'm inclined to agree with him.
Originally posted by michaelb
Is it true that Steve Jobs never shakes people's hands?
Getting more like Howard Hughes every day! Mind you, after seeing the proportion of male bathroom visitors who fail to use the washbasin (the Seinfeld episode sums this up nicely), I'm inclined to agree with him.
You've obviously never watched an Apple keynote or you wouldn't be asking that question...
Being an obsessive Apple freak I always told myself if I ever run into him I would have to share my feelings about killing HyperCard or killing Newton or the need for an Apple PDA or the need for an Apple tablet...
When I finally got to meet him in person, the only thing I could think to say was... "Can I shake your hand?"
In hindsight, he was obviously pulling some kind of Jedi mind trick (a.k.a Reality Distortion Field). Knowing I was going to start offering my 2 cents, he planted the suggestion "Can I shake your hand?" in my head. My weak mind under the power of the RDF could do little but comply to his wishes. He shook my hand and disappeared before I knew it.
A 24 hour operation concerns me though - too ripe for rip offs and there will probably be more money spent on security guys than Mac guys.
Originally posted by kenaustus
Could it be that the Grand Opening was also going to be the release of the MacBook and there was a decision to split those two events?
A 24 hour operation concerns me though - too ripe for rip offs and there will probably be more money spent on security guys than Mac guys.
That's because you're an Okie.
New York ? The city that never sleeps.
It's a little different here.
Originally posted by melgross
That's because you're an Okie.
New York ? The city that never sleeps.
It's a little different here.
I don't know about that - for a city that never sleeps, it sure is dead at 3 AM.
Originally posted by the cool gut
I don't know about that - for a city that never sleeps, it sure is dead at 3 AM.
You're in the wrong area
Well, put the two together: Fred starts pretending he's Steve Jobs and the real one shows up. Hmmmm.
Originally posted by Porchland
I will be interested to see the glass cube when it's finished. Since New York already has a big, bad, giant, glass cube, I am curious to see whether another will be very impressive.
The inage didn't come through, just the AngleFire logo.
I don't know about that - for a city that never sleeps, it sure is dead at 3 AM.
You're in the wrong area.
Are you downtown on Wall Street looking for the action at 3AM?
Originally posted by the cool gut
I don't know about that - for a city that never sleeps, it sure is dead at 3 AM.
Every time I've been to an Apple Store it is packed. People don't go there for just the computers and iPods. That Apple Store stores are already a popular hangout and this store will be a great place to hang out and meet even after hours.
I just hope they have a bouncer at the door that won't let drunk kids in late at night.
Originally posted by Johnny Mozzarella
I just hope they have a bouncer at the door that won't let drunk kids in late at night.
Is this likely to be a serious problem?
Is there a notable security presence at Apple stores generally?
I wonder if I can touch him. Or even talk to him.
Oh god.
Originally posted by Placebo
I'd probably drive up to New York to see him.
I wonder if I can touch him. Or even talk to him.
Oh god.
No, I was in line first!
Originally posted by glurx
Is this likely to be a serious problem?
Is there a notable security presence at Apple stores generally?
No, and no.