We all heard about the new batch of MacBook Pros that will be fitted with the new multi-touch trackpads, but we haven't heard exactly when they will launched to the waiting public. Here's a bit of good news if it turns out to be true: a couple of inventory screenshots taken from Best Buy's tracking system reveal that they will be in stock soon very soon. Check them out in the full article.

 

It's yet to be confirmed, but Gizmodo reports that one of their readers tipped them off to a somewhat disturbing thing taking place in Apple and Best Buy stores in the East Coast: retail outlets would no longer be receiving old Apple keyboards.

iMacs are still being received in Apple and Best Buy in Oakbrook and Michigan, but old boards seem to have a contrasting status. Nobody knows what this means and stores haven't really given an explanation.

There's nothing to confirm that Apple will come out with rumored new keyboard in the near future, making the situation more bizarre. We'll try to get an update on this one as soon as new word comes in.

Rumors sparked a couple of days ago that Apple might be releasing the next-generation of iPods that will sport a new split-screen interface and other new features. Apple is currently not denying nor confirming anything but this latest development might be telling all of us something.

Reportedly, various online retail chains have slashed more than US$ 20 off on 30GB or 80GB iPods (the ones with video). These stores include Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City, and J&R online stores. Target and Wal-Mart, on the other hand, are not part of this surprise price cut.

This, when you really think about it, could imply that Apple is already on its way to clearing away excess stocks to make way for the new ones. It is also possible that it's just what it is - a price cut - and nothing more. We guess we all just have to wait for August 7 as nameless sources have claimed that an announcement will be made by then.

  
  

Best Buy has begun sprucing up its Apple electronics section and has redesigned the Apple corner, now dubbing it the new Apple Shop. The cool Apple store redesign was done not only for aesthetic purposes but in an effort to boost sales. Morgan Stanley said that a full expansion to all Best Buy stores can produce about US$ 400 million more in Mac sales each year.

In the center of the computing section of a Best Buy store stands a two-foot thick black wall, with speakers and LCD display embedded in it. The black wall serves as the center of attraction for the whole set-up.

Some of Apple's offerings are laid out on the table in front of the LCD display to let people have a first-hand look at the products. iMacs and MacBook Pros are on display, with the Mac Mini conspicuously out of the action. Apple also did something to Best Buy's tired-looking tags by hiding them in black Apple plastic folder jackets which can be flipped to reveal the prices.

The Apple corner renovation is done in part in an effort to expand Apple's presence in Best Buy stores and widen its market base. They initially started with doing the renovations for 7 Best Buy stores, then eventually spread out to about 50 locations. Apple plans to expand the new Apple Shop corners to 200 Best Buy stores by fall this year.

Check out the rest of the photos by following the Via link.

According to the NPD Group MusicWatch report for the first quarter of 2007, Apple's online music store iTunes is now the third biggest music retailer in the U.S. What should surprise most people though, is that this report is not only limited to online sales but to physical distribution as well.

Surpassing iTunes is Walmart at first place, which is holding a whopping 15.8% share of the music market, and Best Buy at 13.8% picking up second place. iTunes currently holds a 9.8% share of music purchases at third place with Amazon.com trailing at fourth (6.7%) and Target at fifth (6.6%).

What makes this rather odd is the fact that 86.2% of the quarter's music sales were in CD format as compared to a 13.8% share in downloadable format. With iTunes only selling downloadable content, it's amazing that it reached the third place spot last January. Does this mean bigger and better things for iTunes in the future? We'll have to wait and see.

The Apple corporation recently revealed through analyst Andy Neff how it's going to go about with the marketing strategy of its first mobile phone, the Apple iPhone. The word is that Apple will create some launch turf with 2,000 outlets retailing the device across strong Apple bases such as the US, the UK and Japan.

Neff says the plan issimple: Apple affirmed its goal of June release for iPhone and expressed confidence in meeting its target of 10 million unit shipments in 2008 given iPhone's superior user experience, which Apple referred to as 'transformational.'

The iPhone will make its debut less than a month from now, but some critics have already picked on the product, saying that Apple is making a mistake by jumping into a plane where big competitors like Nokia and Motorola already walk.

Apple, however, is undaunted. It has stressed time and again that the iPhone's features and ease of use will make it a competitive force in the mobile industry. Partnered with AT&T, Apple says it will succeed by bringing outlets within easy reach of consumers.

One way of doing this is by installing "stores within stores," that is, it will have outlets within Best Buy where Apple staff will be on hand to serve customers. This ensures not only competent sales personnel will be selling you the item, it also means the people will have a more direct link with the product's maker.

Right now it's a little early to tell whether Apple is on the money path with its gameplan. One thing's for sure, if anyone can pull this off, it's the masters of product innovation themselves.

A report from AppleInsider indicates that Target, another major retail chain aside from Wal-Mart and Circuit City, is expected to pick up their own stock of the Apple's new entertainment showcase product, the Apple TV.

Best Buy finalized a deal with Apple to shelf the Apple TV in their stores last month, and Target will now become the next retail to have Apple TV on sale and on display.

Of course, the new stock is not yet expected to fill Target retail warehouses. Reports have come in stating that Target should be allowed one month in order to carry a full stock quota of the product in selected retail outlets nationwide. They are also planning on setting up eye-catching demonstration booths in some select outlets in order to introduce the new product to the public.

A representative from Target declined to comment on this report, after conferring with Target's "internal partners." The TiVo contender is a current top seller at all Apple chains nationwide, but is still up against a lot of competition from Microsoft and TiVo. It's ability to be modded for gaming and mobile use is an added edge for the product, however.

Yesterday's news about Best Buy starting to sell Macs again may just be the first in a number of Apple-related changes coming to the Best Buy stores scattered around the U.S.

MacNN reports that the deal, which will see Best Buy increasing the number of their retail locations stocking Macs to about 200 by this fall, may also mean new Apple-centric boutique layouts at Best Buy stores.

Analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray believes that while the increase in Mac stocks at Best Buy retail stores will not affect Piper Jaffray's current outlook for Mac sales, the strengthening relationship between Apple and Best Buy will bring "higher visibility, including boutique-like Apple stores in some locations."

"We believe Apple's store within a store at Best Buy will be much different compared to the current pilot store rollout, which was a table with Apple products on it," said Munster in his research report. "The difference is we expect some (smaller number) of these 200 stores will have walled-off Apple stores, while others will have improved layouts."

"What is clear, you won't wander around Best Buy to shop for Apple," he continued. "A good way to think about Apple & Best Buy is the Coach or Chanel store within a store concept at Nordstrom."

Retail company Best Buy dropped Macs from their lineup of electronic products for sale in 1998, saying that Macs don't really sell that well, but last year we saw a comeback of Apple products on Best Buy stores. The retailer started selling Macs again on 50 of their stores, adding 45 more stores to the list of their Mac-bearing stores late last year.

The positive performance of Mac sales probably boosted Best Buy's confidence in Apple again. In their first quarter earnings conference, Best Buy announced that they will start selling Macs on more of their stores this year. Best Buy president Brian Dunn added that they will be expanding their relationship with Apple this year.

Best Buy's Apple-expansion plan includes selling Macs on 200 of their stores during the latter half of this year. We see this as "practice" for Best Buy, to test the waters before they begin selling Macs in all of their stores again. Analysts say that (of course) Best Buy selling Macs again would mean more sales both for the electronics retailer and the computer manufacturer.

With plans of selling Apple TV on their stores, we share Best Buy's growing confidence in the sales performance of Apple.

We all know by now that Cingular would be the exclusive iPhone distributor in the U.S.A. What we didn't know is that Verizon could have secured the sweet deal if certain kinks were ironed out. USA Today reported that the number two U.S. cellphone carrier passed up on the chance to be the exclusive iPhone distributor roughly two years ago.

The reason for it? It's not because they think the iPhone is ugly, its just that Apple's financial terms and demands didn't sit well with the Verizon folks.

Apparently, Apple wanted to rake in a percentage of the monthly iPhone fees. They also wanted to have a hand on how and where the priced thingamajig would be sold, also they would want control of the relationship with iPhone customers. Verizon's VP, Jim Gerace had this to say about that:

We said no. We have nothing bad to say about the Apple iPhone. We just couldn't reach a deal that was mutually beneficial.

What would happen is that Apple and Verizon stores would sell the iPhone but other Verizon distributors like Wal-Mart and Best Buy would have been left out to witter in the cold.

So when Verizon said no, Cingular was there to accept the deal with open arms. So far, the only thing that Cingular said about this scenario was that it's a win-win situation for both parties concern. However, Cingular wouldn't say if their distributors (RadioShack and Wal-Mart) would also be able to sell the iPhone come its launch in June and they also wouldn't divulge anything about their customer care plans.