The Tech Media Minute: More Changes at Apple Retail, Worker Deaths at Foxconn
The final full week of August is finally here. Will this be the week Apple announces its fall event? Will we see yet another iOS 10 beta?
Top news stories
How it all started
Charitybuzz is currently offering a rare Apple I computer at auction.
The “Celebration” Apple-1 is “an original Apple-1 pre-NTI board that has many unique features, period correct power supply, original Apple-1 ACI cassette board (also populated with Robinson Nugent sockets), early Apple-1 BASIC cassettes, original marketing material, and the most complete documentation set of the known Apple-1 boards. ”
Bids are being accepted until Aug. 25. The Apple-1 is valued at $1 million.
According to CNET, about 200 Apple 1s were made. Of those, 175 were sold and only around 70 are accounted for today.
More changes coming to Apple retail
Apple will implement new retail positions in 2017. The positions are just one of the changes coming, according to MacRumors.
The new positions include:
• Pro: A new sales position above Expert. These employees are considered the most knowledgable about Apple products and services.
• Creative Pro: A new learning position above Creative. These employees are considered the most knowledgable about Apple products and services.
• Technical Expert: An all-new customer support position in between Technical Specialist and Genius. These employees will be able to provide mobile repairs, a task previously limited to Geniuses, and troubleshooting for software and products like the Apple Watch and Apple TV. The position will help reduce Genius Bar/Grove and service wait times.
Cupertino is also changing the title of some current retail positions, revamping its credo, and tweaking the names of some store areas.
Last week, Apple dropped the “Store” from retail location names. For example, instead of “Apple Store, The Grove” it’s now listed online as “Apple The Grove.”
Worker deaths in China
On Monday, Foxconn disclosed the death of two workers from the company’s Apple-oriented Zhengzhou, China factory, according to Reuters.
The cause of death for the male and female employee have not been announced.
Foxconn was hit by a series of employee suicides between 2010 and 2011, after which the company tried to improve labor conditions.
Of these latest deaths, Foxconn notes:
Our efforts are ongoing and we are determined to do whatever we can to anticipate the changing needs of our large workforce in China.
On this day
Today, Aug. 22 is Be an Angel Day.
Y Combinator Demo Day begins in Mountain View, California.
Rewind: On this date in 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre.
Extra reading
We’ve looked around the web and found these other stories worth considering:
- Best Buy at 50: Future’s Bleak for Brick-and-Mortar Giant, Newsweek
- Barbra Streisand asked Apple to change how Siri pronounces her name, Entertainment Weekly
- Samsung’s best phone yet might have some quality issues that can’t be fixed, BGR
Want even more? Check out Tech Media Extra.
The Tech Media Minute is published Monday through Friday on AppAdvice to highlight the biggest stories in technology.
