Apple to reportedly debut co-designed third-party accessory packaging at Apple Stores next week
Apple Stores will soon get a more uniform look as select third-party accessory makers adopt packaging co-designed by Apple, part of a larger transition toward a "premium feel" under retail chief Angela Ahrendts.
With consistent packaging design, Apple moves one step closer to realizing a sweeping makeover initiative aimed at reducing product display variety in its already streamlined stores. As it stands, Apple is loathe to show off its own device packaging, keeping iPhone, iPad and Mac boxes in back-of-store rooms, while accessories are squirreled away in alcoves.
According to incoming marketing materials, companies like Incase, Life Proof, Logitech, Mophie, Sena and Tech21 are taking part in the initiative, with the first repackaged products slated to hit store shelves next week, 9to5Mac reported Monday.
The "premium feel" redesign, which will supposedly see Apple revamp its own accessory packaging with whitewashed artwork, is progressing according to a schedule first reported in June. Aside from sleeker boxes, Apple is also looking to cut down on clutter at its brick-and-mortar stores by limiting accessory offerings only to high-quality products.
Apple's retail overhaul was revealed in February to be the brainchild of Ahrendts and newly-minted Chief Design Officer Jony Ive, who are working to create a more fashionable shopping experience better suited to Apple Watch. Rumors point to a revamp in line with Apple's Upper East Side location in Manhattan, which sports new hide-away display fixtures for first-party accessories.
With consistent packaging design, Apple moves one step closer to realizing a sweeping makeover initiative aimed at reducing product display variety in its already streamlined stores. As it stands, Apple is loathe to show off its own device packaging, keeping iPhone, iPad and Mac boxes in back-of-store rooms, while accessories are squirreled away in alcoves.
According to incoming marketing materials, companies like Incase, Life Proof, Logitech, Mophie, Sena and Tech21 are taking part in the initiative, with the first repackaged products slated to hit store shelves next week, 9to5Mac reported Monday.
The "premium feel" redesign, which will supposedly see Apple revamp its own accessory packaging with whitewashed artwork, is progressing according to a schedule first reported in June. Aside from sleeker boxes, Apple is also looking to cut down on clutter at its brick-and-mortar stores by limiting accessory offerings only to high-quality products.
Apple's retail overhaul was revealed in February to be the brainchild of Ahrendts and newly-minted Chief Design Officer Jony Ive, who are working to create a more fashionable shopping experience better suited to Apple Watch. Rumors point to a revamp in line with Apple's Upper East Side location in Manhattan, which sports new hide-away display fixtures for first-party accessories.
Comments
Great idea.
Apple already asks App developers to follow certain conventions so Apps at least have a somewhat consistent feel regardless of who they came from.
This is along the same lines, except for product packaging.
Explains why the new iPod colors are more boring though.
So Beats should be getting the axe any day now, because those do not fit Apple's design aesthetic.
Explains why the new iPod colors are more boring though.
Uh, you did read the part where they're talking about packaging, not the products themselves, right?
Uh, you did read the part where they're talking about packaging, not the products themselves, right?
Also: "third party."
Have you seen iPod packaging? It shows the actual product. So they're going to subdue the colors for "premium feel"
And I'm not sure how you package Beats in a subdued way without turning off the customers they appeal to.
I'm all for this.
The Apple experience has to be aesthetically tight and (in terms of service) comprehensive like no other, from cradle to grave.
It's little details like this that have and continue to set Apple apart.
[IMG]http://images.macrumors.com/article-new/2015/07/uppereastsidestore.jpg[/IMG]
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/23/shape-things-come?utm_content=12147054&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
See I knew it. So making a store look nicer only appeals to the wealthy? Is that some stupid liberal orthodoxy?
Hope this isn't job one for improving Apple. Making the stores more posh to appeal to Gold %uF8FFWatch customers seems a bit like the tail wagging the dog, don't you think?
See I knew it. So making a store look nicer only appeals to the wealthy? Is that some stupid liberal orthodoxy?
I think the suggestion is, that perhaps "nice" may have a different definition for some gold watch customer-types
than it would have for some of the hoi polloi...and I think it's valid to suggest it, even if you ultimately don't embrace it.
These changes aren't occurring in a vacuum, or without an underlying concept, after all.
For my taste, the ultra-uniformity look lacks a spontaneity, it's less kinetic, more sterile, less welcoming...
but that's just me - of course many will love it...but, how many?
I think the suggestion is, that perhaps "nice" may have a different definition for some gold watch customer-types
than it would have for some of the hoi polloi...and I think it's valid to suggest it, even if you ultimately don't embrace it.
These changes aren't occurring in a vacuum, or without an underlying concept, after all.
For my taste, the ultra-uniformity look lacks a spontaneity, it's less kinetic, more sterile, less welcoming...
but that's just me - of course many will love it...but, how many?
Its also more consistent at providing exactly the service they promise in an efficient way.
When your selling things all over the world, with throngs of people coming in, mosy-ing along in a random by the seat of your pant way is not really an option. There is a reason why large companies standardize; because they promise a X level of service to everyone and that's the only way to do it.
If they didn't maybe outlier stores with great owners and managers would provide fantastic service AND a original off the wall experience, but you'd also have butt fracking douche bag stores that provide the crappiest experience ever seen. The problem is that in this social media day, the douche store is the one people talk about and remember...
You must think different
Yes we must think different
I'm glad I shop online. Apple shops look to me more and more sterile... and far too crowded to make any experience worthwhile visiting them.
I'm glad I shop online. Apple shops look to me more and more sterile... and far too crowded to make any experience worthwhile visiting them.
That one in New York has a 4:1 staff:customer ratio, judging by the picture upthread. Surely that's the experience Apple Stores offer?!
Wow, you must be that Internet guy. You know, the one that always seizes on something you say, twists it, and uses it against you? I'm honored. Maybe next time I'll be lucky enough to have you include a few of your famous external links that aren't as relevant as you think they are.
This seems like a lot of work.
I like the idea that accessories sold in Apple Stores have a premium look, but Apple helping out accessory makers with package design seems like maybe it's going a bit far.
I think the suggestion is, that perhaps "nice" may have a different definition for some gold watch customer-types
than it would have for some of the hoi polloi...and I think it's valid to suggest it, even if you ultimately don't embrace it.
These changes aren't occurring in a vacuum, or without an underlying concept, after all.
For my taste, the ultra-uniformity look lacks a spontaneity, it's less kinetic, more sterile, less welcoming...
but that's just me - of course many will love it...but, how many?
Its also more consistent at providing exactly the service they promise in an efficient way.
When your selling things all over the world, with throngs of people coming in, mosy-ing along in a random by the seat of your pant way is not really an option. There is a reason why large companies standardize; because they promise a X level of service to everyone and that's the only way to do it.
And yet, despite "not really [being] an option", it has served for a number of years
to make Apple the most effective sales-by-square-foot retailer on the planet.
And it was already pretty thoroughly "standardized", but not "sterilized"...and again, I liked that.