MacRumors

A series of photos have surfaced on social media today that provide a first look at what could be the retail packaging for the Apple Watch and individual bands. Instagram user Jeremy Gan posted the photos to his profile, which he has since switched to private, this afternoon. The photos appear to show a 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch with Milanese Loop propped on a stand within its official packaging, alongside a brown leather band in a separate box.

It appears that the pictures were taken during the day in Daily Mail's offices at 51 Astor Place in New York City, and it's plausible to think the publication may have had the device on hand. Nevertheless, we cannot guarantee the veracity of these photos, and it is entirely possible that the retail packaging is not official. A number of fake Apple Watches have already hit the streets, and this could very well be fake packaging to go along with the knockoff models.

The long, narrow box for the Apple Watch band in particular appears mostly consistent with a stock image that appeared on Apple's careers page last month, which at the time was speculated to be retail packaging for bands. The packaging in Apple's picture appears to be plastic, however, with a slightly tapered appearance, which is slightly different than the box pictured above. The photos should be treated with a proverbial grain of salt until if and when their authenticity can be confirmed.

Update: Gan has made both his Instagram and Twitter accounts private.

When Apple launched the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3 in late 2014, many people were disappointed with the iPad mini update, which essentially just added Touch ID to the existing iPad mini 2 with no other external design changes. Since then, there have been a few rumors suggesting Apple is working on an iPad mini 4 update that includes iPad Air 2 design elements like a thinner body.

French site Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] today shared a video and some images of what's said to be an early version of the rear casing for the upcoming iPad mini 4.

Rumors have suggested the iPad mini 4 will be thinner than the iPad mini 2 and the iPad mini 3, giving it a thickness more akin to the iPad Air 2, but it is difficult to determine the device's possible thickness based on the images that were shared. Along with an iPad Air-style design, an updated iPad mini 4 would likely adopt one of Apple's more recent processors, possibly the A8X in the iPad Air 2 or an A9 processor coming later this year.

There's been little word on when an updated iPad mini might launch, but given Apple's historical fall release schedule for iPads, it's unlikely we will see the iPad mini 4 until the later months of 2015.

Apple this morning released full pricing information for the Retina MacBook to reseller partners such as Expercom, confirming prices of the new 12-inch MacBook for customers who plan to opt for beefed-up processors in the checkout process when the device launches this Friday, April 10.

As stated during the "Spring Forward" event last month, the entry-level MacBook will retail for $1299 with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor, 8 GB of memory, and 256 GB of flash storage.

According to Expercom, this machine will have a configure-to-order option that bumps its performance with a 1.3 GHz Intel Core M processor, with the same 256 GB flash storage. The upgrade will cost those interested an extra $250, raising the entry-level option to $1549 when choosing the upgraded version.

The high-end stock model announced at last month's event comes with a 1.2 GHz processor with 8 GB of memory and 512 GB of flash storage, priced at $1599. Apple will offer the 1.3 GHz processor upgrade option here as well, keeping the same 512 GB of flash storage and charging an additional $150 over the base price of the 1.2 GHz model for a total price of $1749.

Complete lineup:

- 1.1 GHz with 256 GB storage: $1299
- 1.3 GHz with 256 GB storage: $1549
- 1.2 GHz with 512 GB storage: $1599
- 1.3 GHz with 512 GB storage: $1749

The new 12-inch MacBook is set to launch this Friday, April 10 on the Apple online store and in Apple retail stores, though recent news from Apple Retail Chief Angela Ahrendts points to better possibilities of a completed order when visiting the company's online storefront or Apple Store app.

The recently announced HBO NOW channel has gone live on the Apple TV set-top box, iPhone and iPad ahead of the series premiere of HBO hit show Game of Thrones on April 12. The new Apple TV channel and iPhone and iPad app allow users to stream all of HBO's original content, past and present, as well as its entire movie catalog. The standalone streaming service costs $14.99 per month, with customers receiving the first month free if they sign up in April.

HBO NOW sorts the premium network's content into various categories, including a watchlist, series and movies. There is also the option to search for TV shows and movies, and a settings menu. The streaming service is presumably limited to the United States due to content licensing restrictions. The new Apple TV channel should appear for all users today alongside a companion app for iOS devices.

HBO NOW's official iPhone and iPad app [Direct Link] is rolling out on the App Store right now, and should become available for all users by the end of the day. After subscribing to HBO NOW through Apple TV or an iOS device, users can also access the HBO NOW website to stream content on the web using a Mac, which should be a familiar experience for those who have used Netflix.

HBO NOW for iPhone and iPad has a similar setup as the Apple TV channel, with a side menu of categories including Home, Watchlist, Series, Movies, Comedy, Sports, Documentaries, Collections, Late Night and Settings. The app is currently featuring Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley as some of its headline programming, while other popular HBO series include Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Girls, and Entourage.

HBO NOW is based on paying a flat monthly rate of $14.99 instead of needing an existing cable or satellite subscription like HBO Go requires. By providing access to a wide range of content across multiple devices, including Apple TV, Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and eventually other platforms, HBO NOW has adopted a Netflix model that should prove valuable for cord-cutters looking to watch HBO content without paying for an entire channel package.

Apple Watch reservations for in-store pickup will be limited to one per customer through Apple's Reserve and Pickup service, MacRumors has learned. Customers in the United States and other launch countries will be required to present a valid government-issued photo ID upon pickup at the Apple Store where they placed their Apple Watch reservation, and only the person named on the reservation will be allowed to pick up the product.

"Inventory is subject to change. Your reservation is valid for pickup only at the Apple Retail Store that you selected. If you do not pick up your selected item(s) by the designated date and time, your reservation will be cancelled and your item(s) will be returned to stock. There is a maximum of 1 reservation per customer. Number of reservations may be limited. Apple reserves the right to refuse, limit or cancel a reservation if Apple determines that a customer has provided misleading or fraudulent information and/or abused, disrupted or attempted to circumvent the reservation system."

Apple's one-per-customer reservation limit has been confirmed to be in place in the United States and United Kingdom, and likely other launch countries, but it's worth noting that the company's plans could change between now and the Apple Watch launch. Apple was originally planning to allow two reservations per customer as recently as March, according to sources, but is now allowing one per customer as stock is expected to be limited. MacRumors can also confirm recent reports claiming the Apple Watch Edition will be offered at select Apple Stores only.

The limit does not apply to online pre-orders that will be shipped to home beginning April 24, although it is possible that Apple will also restrict online orders to one or two Apple Watch models per customer as it has done for Personal Pickup with the iPhone, iPad and other products in the past. Apple will not be allowing walk-in purchases of the Apple Watch without a reservation, according to leaked Apple Store training documents obtained by MacRumors last month.

Apple Watch pre-orders begin April 10, and the wrist-worn device goes on sale April 24 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom. Apple Watch starts at $349 for the entry-level Sport model, while the stainless steel model costs between $549 and $1,099, and the gold edition starts at $10,000. Try-on appointments will be available at Apple Stores and select fashion boutiques beginning April 10.

Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts has issued an internal memo to retail employees that encourages store staff to direct customers to the Apple Online Store to purchase the Apple Watch and new MacBook, according to Business Insider. Ahrendts says that this is "a significant change in mindset" for Apple, noting that the long lines that typically form on Apple product launch days "are over" at retail stores.

"Get in line online

The days of waiting in line and crossing fingers for a product are over for our customers. The Apple Store app and our online store make it much easier to purchase Apple Watch and the new MacBook. Customers will know exactly when and where their product arrives.

This is a significant change in mindset, and we need your help to make it happen. Tell your customers we have more availability online, and show them how easy it is to order. You'll make their day."

Apple previously outlined changes to its so-called "Customer Journey" in leaked training documents obtained by MacRumors last month, emphasizing that retail employees will be focused on "reducing wait times and physical lines" and ensuring that customers get the Apple Watch that is best for them.

One way Apple will limit in-store waiting times for the Apple Watch is by requiring reservations for pickup at brick-and-mortar Apple Stores, although Business Insider notes that in-store pickup will not be available whatsoever to U.K. customers at launch. U.S. customers will be able to reserve for pickup, although stock will likely be tight compared to online availability.

Apple Stores will have limited in-store supply of the Apple Watch when the wrist-worn device goes on sale April 24. Apple will begin accepting online pre-orders for the Apple Watch on April 10, the same day try-on appointments will be available for customers, in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom. Read how to pre-order the Apple Watch and what to expect at a try-on appointment for useful info ahead of time.

Just a few days before the Apple Watch is available for pre-order on April 10, the device has been spotted in what seems to be its first TV appearance. The Watch, which appears to be the stainless steel version with a white sport band, is on the wrist of musical artist Pharrell Williams as he judges on NBC's singing competition show The Voice. It's likely this marks the first time a non-Apple employee wore it on national TV.

The fitness side of the Apple Watch has been promoted on the covers of fitness magazines like Fitness Magazine on the wrist of Kate Bock, Self magazine on the wrist of Candice Swanepoel and model Christy Turlington as she writes about how the Watch helps her train for a marathon on a personal blog on Apple's website. The fashion side of the Apple Watch has been on display in magazines like Vogue, Style, East Touch and YOHO. It was also shown off at an exclusive event at Parisian boutique Colette.

As the launch of the Apple Watch gets closer, and people are able to try them on within Apple Stores, it's likely the device will continue to appear on TV, magazines, billboards and more as Apple attempts to market the device to a wide variety of potential customers. The Apple Watch will be available beginning April 24, but will be available for pre-order and in-store try-ons starting April 10.

Update: Williams has also posted a brief Instagram clip of the watch in action, with the watch actually appearing to be a gold Edition model.

While most Apple acquisitions become public knowledge shortly after they happen, there are acquisitions that go largely under the radar until months or years afterwards. TechCrunch has recently learned of one such acquisition, which may have happened in 2013. Apple is said to have purchased Ottocat, a small startup specializing in search technology.

Ottocat's technology is said to be behind the "Explore" app discovery function in the App Store. The Explore tab in the iOS App Store lets users find apps in different categories plus nearby apps.

TechCrunch has learned that Apple quietly bought a startup called Ottocat some time ago, which had developed a system to organize and surface apps on the app store based on "nested" categories of increasing specificity. A version of that system now powers the "explore" tab in Apple's app store.

According to TechCrunch, though there's little evidence on LinkedIn to suggest the acquisition happened, Ottocat co-founder Edwin Cooper was the author of a patent that was granted to Apple, which Cooper appears to have filed as an Apple employee. The patent, "System and Method for Divisive Textual Clustering by Label Selection Using Variant-Weighted TFDIF," which is related to the App Store's explore feature.

TechCrunch has some information on how Ottocat worked, explaining that its technology aimed to introduce categories for better app discovery to assist users looking to find apps in specific areas when they didn't have an app in mind to search for, which sounds very similar to what the Explore feature in the App Store does.

The premise was to do away with keywords by categorizing apps into increasingly more specific subcategories that worked on a "drill-down" principle -- eliminating the guesswork and potential inaccuracy of keywords altogether.

The Ottocat website originally went down in October of 2013, so that may have been around the time that the acquisition occurred. The original error message stated "Ottocat is no longer available," but the website is now completely defunct. Explore was announced as an App Store addition in June of 2014.

Apple CEO Tim Cook today sent out an email to all Apple employees to thank them for the effort they've put into the launch of the Apple Watch and to announce a major discount on Apple Watch models for Apple workers. The email was obtained by MacRumors and is shared below.

Employees will be able to order any stainless steel Apple Watch or Apple Watch Sport for personal use at a 50 percent discount, and Apple is also offering $550 off the Apple Watch Edition. $550 is half off the most expensive stainless steel Apple Watch and the maximum discount that employees can obtain.

Team,

The day we’ve all been waiting for is almost here: Apple Watch is ready to ship.

Our retail stores are training for a whole new way to engage customers and help them experience Apple’s most personal product yet. On Friday, in over four hundred stores across four continents, we’ll open our doors to people who want to try on Apple Watch for the first time and start deciding which one is right for them.

Tens of millions of people have seen our keynotes and demonstration videos about the watch, and there’s much more to come. Some of the most innovative developers in the world are working on new experiences designed specifically for Apple Watch. More than one thousand apps were submitted in just four days last week when the App Store started accepting them, and the rate of submissions has only been climbing since then.

I know that many of you have been looking forward to choosing an Apple Watch for yourselves, and we want to make it easy for you. Starting Friday in countries where the watch is available for pre-order, a special Employee Purchase Plan will offer a 50% discount on any Apple Watch or Apple Watch Sport for your personal use.

As we introduce the watch in more countries, the special pricing for employees will be offered in those countries as well. Discounts will begin at pre-order and last for 90 days after availability. AppleWeb has more details, so I invite you to check it out.

Our products enrich people’s lives like no others, and we think Apple Watch is going to delight our customers in ways people can’t yet imagine. We want you to share in that experience right alongside them.

Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard for years to help this product reach our customers. And thanks in advance to the thousands of retail employees around the world who will start placing it on people’s wrists starting Friday.

Tim

Over the course of the past several weeks, MacRumors has spoken to multiple Apple retail employees who have relayed just how much work has gone into Apple Watch preparations. Training for the Apple Watch has been intense and somewhat stressful, as employees have needed to learn all new sales techniques to relate to customers in a more personal manner to offer fashion recommendations.

Employees are also gearing up for a couple of busy weeks as customers begin scheduling try-on appointments in stores beginning April 10, so the discount on the Apple Watch will be seen as a welcome bonus. In his email, Tim Cook says that he wants Apple retail employees to "share in the experience" of the Apple Watch right alongside the customers that are purchasing them, and he goes on to thank all of the retail employees that will be working with customers in the coming weeks.

Tim Cook's email also includes a note about third-party apps. He says that "more than one thousand apps" were submitted to Apple for approval last week after the company began accepting submissions, and that "the rate of submissions has only been climbing since then." We've covered many of the Apple Watch apps that have already surfaced, both in a comprehensive list that contained many of the first available apps and individual posts (airlines, to-do lists, transit apps) that give a deeper look at how we'll be able to use the Apple Watch. Even more info on Apple Watch apps can be found on Apple's dedicated app site.

The Apple Watch will be available for pre-order beginning April 10, which is also the day that try-on appointments will become available. The Apple Watch officially launches on April 24.

Apple's retail employees were today given newly redesigned shirts that will be worn during the Apple Watch launch, MacRumors has learned. The shirts are a dark shade of navy blue, much darker in color than the existing brighter blue shirts employees wear now. Employees have been given two T-shirts each and have been instructed to wear the shirts beginning on April 10. Apple also typically distributes polo shirts and T-shirts with longer sleeves, but employees have not yet received these.

The new shirts Apple employees are receiving for the Apple Watch mark the second wardrobe change that's been enacted this year. In January, Apple distributed redesigned T-shirts and polo shirts all in a dark shade of blue, with an Apple logo located at the top left of the shirt, over the heart.

Apple's head of retail Angela Ahrendts was rumored to be behind the first style change, and she's likely handling the new look for employees during the Apple Watch as well, using her expertise as Burberry's former CEO to find a uniform look that's suitable for employees handling every day sales and those dedicated to serving high-end retail customers as Apple prepares to start selling its first luxury item, the gold Apple Watch Edition.

Along with new shirts, the launch of the Apple Watch has brought many changes for retail employees. Employees are undergoing rigorous training in order to get ready to sell the Apple Watch, which is being positioned as a fashion item. As we've learned from leaked training materials, employees are learning how to interact with customers in all new ways, evaluating customer style and preference to make product recommendations.

Training is still ongoing, and as of this week, employees have been learning what store-front displays will look like and they've begun to receive word on which stores will be carrying the gold Apple Watch Edition. It appears that only a limited number of flagship stores will have the higher-end device available for sale, and safes are being installed in some of these stores this week. In the United Kingdom, for example, only the Covent Garden and Regent Street Apple Stores are said to be selling the Apple Watch Edition, along with the dedicated shop in Selfridges department store in London.

Employees are also beginning to receive details on how reservations and try-on appointments will be handled (try-on appointments will be worked into the Mac queue), and they are preparing for a major overnight revamp of stores, which will include the installation of Apple Watch try-on tables and display stations.

The Apple Watch will go on sale online this Friday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time. It will be available in all first-wave launch countries simultaneously, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Ukrainian website Rozetka has compared the new 12-inch Retina MacBook to the 11-inch mid-2013 MacBook Air in a new video, providing a closer look at the physical design of the new MacBook and offering a side-by-side view of the different features between the notebooks. The video also highlights how the new MacBook, which measures 0.51" at its thickest point, is nearly as thin as the original iPad (0.50").

Apple's 12-inch Retina MacBook will be available to purchase in silver, space gray and gold on April 10, the same day that Apple Watch pre-orders begin in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom. The notebook starts at $1,299 for the base 256GB configuration, while a 512GB model with a slightly faster processor is available for $1,599.