Harrods of London to launch Apple Shop for new iPad, March 16

Summary: Destination for posh folk, Harrods of London, is to launch its own Apple-stocked technology department tomorrow, which may (or may not) be the capital's sixth Apple store.

By Zack Whittaker for London Calling | March 15, 2012 -- 15:47 GMT (08:47 PDT)

Follow @zackwhittaker

Her Majesty's purveyor of fine goods and all-round posh stop, Harrods of London, is to launch its technology department tomorrow, along with its very own in-house Apple Shop.

The new iPad, which features a Retina display and 4G-capable wireless broadband --- which, don't forget is a completely useless feature in Europe --- will be stocked in the department when it goes on sale tomorrow.

But the Harrods store will have to wait two hours to launch the tablet, until the clock strikes 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. It comes as superstore Walmart said it will start selling the new iPad eight hours before Apple Stores do, at 12 midnight tonight local time.

Harrods confirmed the news in a tweet earlier on this evening:

Harrod's tweet (Source: Twitter)

The technology department, which currently sells upscale iPad cases and other accessories for no less than ten times what they are no doubt worth, will also stock other electronic manufacturers' goods like Samsung, LG, Sony, and Research in Motion's Porche-design BlackBerry.

Distancing the new shop-within-a-shop in name, the retailer appears to be shying away from calling it an "Apple Store". It's not entirely clear whether this is a typo or a deliberate attempt to avoid lawsuits --- or even if the name is per an agreement with the Cupertino-based technology giant.

We'll find out if it is an official Apple retail store or not until it launches.

When asking an Apple spokesperson whether Harrods was hosting an official Apple Store, they declined to comment, but invited me to call back "at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning", the time of the grand opening.

I imagine I'll already be in the pub by then.

Image source: Twitter/ZDNet.

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1 comment

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One can draw the following conclusions from this

1) Harrods does not have its own pub, although the Tea & Clipper down the road is ok
2) Zack is going to be drowning his sorrows that he doesn't have the new iPad or maybe he has one and is going to find out how it does as a coaster.
3) There is some other conclusion that can be drawn.

Zack, it could be worse, they could have released it during the Olympics.

ego.sum.stig

17 March, 2012 01:49

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