A source close to Apple has revealed the company’s plans to open Apple Stores directly inside 25 of the largest Target stores in the United States.

Following the success of Apple’s mini stores inside Best Buy locations around the United States the company is banking on a partnership that will allow their product line to extend beyond currently available locations.

A small number of target markets could be a smart move for Apple to test the new concept, Target operates 1752 stores in the U.S. while Apple currently offers just 245 stores in the US and 359 stores globally plus 600 Best Buy “Apple Shops” of which only some actually staff Apple Solution Consultants.

Before their Best Buy operations Apple actually had partnerships in place more than a decade ago with the likes of Circuit City, Computer City, Office Max and Sear, however they abandoned those partnerships and focused on the non-defunct CompUSA.

Target is a smart move for Apple since they have already formed iOS and iPod partnerships.

In 2002 when Apple began stocking Target shelves with iPods then executive vice president of Worldwide Sales and Operations Tim Cook (Now Apple’s CEO) announced:

 ”We’re thrilled that Target will significantly expand the availability of Apple’s award-winning iPod to even more customers. Apple has placed an operable iPod on display in each of Target’s 1,148 stores, so every Target customer can use and listen to an iPod before they buy.”

Would you be willing to pick up an iMac, Apple TV, Airport wireless routers and other Apple products from Target stores or do you still prefer to order your Apple products online or via Apple stores?

Mini Apple Stores Could Be Setup Inside Target Locations is a post from: The Inquisitr

In a special tribute to their fallen co-founder and leader Apple may close their Apple Stores for one hour on October 19 so they can observed an hour of silence for Steve Jobs.

According to 9to5 the stores would close at 1PM Eastern and staff would be offered the chance to watch a free live broadcast from inside the company’s Cupertino headquarters before returning to work.

Recently Apple CEO Tim Cook said that in honor of Jobs’ work at Apple the company was making “arrangements for employees outside of Cupertino” and this 1-hour work stoppage would seem to align with his statement.

The 1-hour work stoppage isn’t the only tribute Apple executives have called for, a private memorial is planned for October 16 and California Governor Jerry Brown has already October 16 at “Steve Jobs Day.”

If you’ve read any biographies about his work ethic it almost seems like a bunch of employees sitting around doing nothing is the exact opposite of what he would want. Do you think Apple’s one hour work stop is the right way to honor Steve Jobs?

Apple Stores To Observe “Hour Of Silence” On October 19, Honor Fallen CEO is a post from: The Inquisitr

There are monuments and then there are living monuments and of them all Grand Central Terminal in New York is probably one of the most recognized living monuments in the U.S.

Well there is a rumor going around that Apple has begun a super-secret <snicker> project that will see them setting up a store in Grand Central Terminal. The news of the project comes via The New York Observer and to them the lack of response from Apple when asked about the so-called project is enough to validate the rumor.

Apple wields a famously iron fist over all its major announcements and has been rumored to back out of deals if anyone speaks to the press. To wit, when contacted by The Observer, most of the parties potentially involved wouldn’t even blink twice for yes, although they tellingly would not deny it either.

Friendly receptionists became suddenly cagey when we dropped the A-bomb. “We’re not authorized to speak about that,” said the woman who answered the phone for Grand Central‘s leasing agent,Williams Jackson Ewing. Likewise, a lovely Southerner at Dallas-based Open Realty, which represents Apple, sighed almost imperceptibly and noted that Apple’s broker, Jonathan A. Siegel, is away on business.

[Rumor Mill] Apple looking to setup shop in Grand Central is a post from: The Inquisitr

How do you build a better OS if your Microsoft? You wait for Apple to release new features and then clone them as best you can.  So how do you compete against Apple in the retail sector? Forget cloning, you can just steal the actual employees that work at Apple stores and make them your own.

Not only is Microsoft attempting to steal Apple’s Top Retail store managers, their doing so by offering increased salaries that would be hard for any retail manager to turn down.

Microsoft is also allowing managers to bring along their top sales associates who will also be given raises to convert from Apple locations to Microsoft’s new retail stores.

Adding insult to injury many of the Microsoft Retail locations with their giant displays and impressive store designs are being placed right next to pre-existing Apple stores. Talk about an akward day at work when you look out your stores window and see the employees you use to manage staring back at you.

Then again a little retail sector competition for “top talent” could prove to be an innovate approach. [via Ars Technica]

Microsoft Retail Locations Are Trying To Steal Apple’s Store Managers is a post from: The Inquisitr