O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: store

  • Apple adds M4 iMac to refurbished store inventory

    Apple adds M4 iMac to refurbished store inventory

    Earlier this month, Apple added both the M4 Mac mini and the M4 MacBook Pro to its refurbished store inventory. As of Wednesday, the M4 iMac is now available on Apple’s refurbished store inventory, the desktop arriving in a variety of colors and configurations with some discounts thrown in for good measure.

    Apple’s base model starts at $1,299 new, but you can find it for just $1,099 refurbished. All color-matched accessories are included too.

    All M4 iMacs also start at 16GB of RAM, and Apple offers a variety of SSD storage configurations as well.

    Take a gander, see what’s there, and Apple’s refurbished units have been passed through the company’s cleaning, repairs, and inspection.

    Via 9to5Mac and MacRumors

  • Elaborate MacBook fencing operation surfaces, cites Best Buy and American Express

    Elaborate MacBook fencing operation surfaces, cites Best Buy and American Express

    A strange and potentially intricate fencing operation seems to have surfaced with a customer purchasing a new MacBook Pro from a Best Buy location, the computer launching the Remote Management screen upon initial boot and stating that the computer was owned by finance company American Express.

    Per Reddit:

    “Sorry if this isn’t the right group!

    But I just bought a brand new MacBook Pro. I was setting it up when a pop up came up saying — “Remote Management

    This max is owned by: American Express.”

    What the heck does this mean?…

    I’ll include a photo below. Did they accidentally give me a refurbished one? I do not understand.”

    The comments dig into potential details of the scam itself, including local thieves stealing notebooks, placing them in official Apple packaging obtained through Best Buy, and running refund scams all the while. Criticism also arose as to Apple’s official packaging and the ease of bypassing both Apple’s and Best Buy’s security protocols.

    If you’ve seen anything similar to this on your end, please let us know about it in the comments.

    Via Reddit

  • Apple adds second-generation AirPods Pro earbuds to its refurbished online store

    Apple adds second-generation AirPods Pro earbuds to its refurbished online store

    If you’re looking to save some money on Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro wireless earbuds, you’re going to like this.

    Apple on Saturday placed the refurbished second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case on its online store in the U.S. for $209, compared to $249 brand new.

    The company updated the AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case in 2023, as well as introduced the IP54-rated dust resistance for both the earbuds and the case, and lossless audio with Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

    Apple has consistently stated that all of its refurbished products undergo “full functionality testing” and are “put through a thorough cleaning process and inspection,” and from a large degree of user feedback, tend to be highly reliable.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • Swedish Apple Store location opening hints at iPhone 16 release date

    Swedish Apple Store location opening hints at iPhone 16 release date

    Apple may have teased its official iPhone 16 release date with a store opening.

    The company announced that it will be opening a new retail store at the Mall of Scandinavia near Stockholm, Sweden on Friday, September 20, and this may end up being the release date for the upcoming iPhone 16 series.

    Apple is expected to announce its four new iPhone 16 models during the “It’s Glowtime” media event on Monday. Given that the updated iPhones typically launch in stores and begin arriving to customers on the second Friday after they are announced by Apple, the iPhone 16 series is expected to be released on Friday, September 20. This could indicate that the new location would open on the day the iPhone 16 becomes commercially available in store.

    Apple had permanently closed its Väla Centrum shopping mall location near Helsingborg, Sweden in July, but the new store at the Mall of Scandinavia offers three stores within the country following the grand opening.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • Fortnite to arrive on first European AltStore on iOS, Epic announces plans for expansion

    Fortnite to arrive on first European AltStore on iOS, Epic announces plans for expansion

    As promised, and following years of litigation between Apple and Epic Games, Epic Games on Thursday announced plans to bring Fortnite to alternative app store AltStore in the European Union, which will mean the popular game will soon be available to download on iPhones and iPads.

    AltStore PAL, which was created by developer Riley Testut, surfaced as one of the first alternative app store for iOS when is launched this past April. The storefront is available in the European Union, where Apple supports sideloading to comply with Digital Markets Act.

    AltStore is an open-source app that distributes Testut’s popular Delta game emulator as well as apps from other independent developers. Distributing apps through AltStore is free of charge, so ‌Epic Games‌ will not need to pay a fee to Testut, but Apple will collect an 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee (CTF) from ‌Epic Games‌ after Fortnite receives more than one million annual first installs.

    Customers installing AltStore pay an annual fee of 1.50 euros per year, which is required given Apple’s CTG. Apple, in turn, charges developers like Testut 0.50 euros each time AltStore is installed.

    Epic Games has said that it will bring Fortnite to other mobile stores that “give all developers a great deal,” while also “ending distribution partnerships with mobile stores that serve as rent collectors.” ‌Epic Games‌ has also stated that it will be removing Fortnite and other Epic titles from the Samsung Galaxy Store to protest Samsung’s “anticompetitive decision to block side-loading by default” on Samsung devices.

    ‌For its end, Epic will charge a store fee of 12 percent for all payments that it processes, as well as zero percent on third-party payments.

    Via MacRumors and Epic Games