Apple is planning to launch a store-within-a-store at more than two dozen Target locations this year, according to Apple Insider.
Based on the report, Apple will initially place mini-stores inside 25 larger Target locations in smaller cities that aren't large enough to support a standalone Apple Store. In all, Target has 1,752 stores in the U.S., while Apple has 359 stores globally, including 245 in the U.S.
Apple has similar in-store shops inside over 600 Best Buy locations. The Best Buy shops offer a selection of Mac gadgets, with some having Apple Solution Consultants on hand for support. Best Buy has over 1,000 total stores in the U.S.
Apple severed its retail partnerships with Sears, Circuit City, Computer City and Office Max a decade ago to narrow its distribution to CompUSA and its own stores, which were just being launched. With CompUSA liquidating, Best Buy was brought back as a store within a store retail partner in the middle of the last decade.
Target has a friendly history with Apple. In October 2002, Apple began selling its iPod at all Target stores, a month after Best Buy began offering the hot product. Walmart didn't start selling the iPod until 2005.
In October 2010, Target became the first retailer outside of Apple and Best Buy to sell the iPad. A month later, it announced that it would begin selling Apple's iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 in just over half of its stores. One connection is its former VP of retail, Ron Johnson, who left last year to become Penney's CEO, was once VP of merchandising at Target.
With Apple and Target declining comment on the rumor, some wondered whether this was a test that precluded a much larger rollout or if the focus was limited to smaller metro areas. Others wondered whether Target would also be selling the new iPhone 4S and other new Apple launch products.
Comments to the Apple Insider post were divided. Some argued that the deal might tarnish Apple's name because of Target's discount status. Others saw it as a smart move to increase exposure to more customers.