Technology giant Apple reached the end of the roadmap that Steve Jobs had created to direct the company’s future last year. This roadmap has served as a guideline for several years and has helped the company remain focused on its primary interests, establishing a strong and reliable position in its industry. With the roadmap having reached its end, Apple has been left with limited guidance and has had to find new ways to remain an influential force in its industry. Unfortunately, this involved making some mistakes, but some of these mistakes may be rectified thanks to Angela Ahrendts.
New retail chief has big plans for Apple
Ahrendts was officially hired onto Apple only three weeks ago and now serves as the company’s retail chief. She has a long history of success in serving as CEO for Burberry since 2006. During her time with that company, she was able to increase sales and mitigate losses by a significant margin. As Apple’s new retail chief, Ahrendts is aiming to take the company into a new direction by reshaping its focus on mobile payments and bolstering its presence in foreign markets.
Apple to focus more heavily on mobile payments and the market in China
Under Ahrendt’s direction, Apple is set to become much more prolific in China, from a retail standpoint. The company intends to open new Apple Stores throughout the country in an effort to embrace the growing number of consumers that are adopting iOS devices there. Ahrendt also plans to improve the end-to-end sales experience in all Apple Stores, promoting product discovery, improving customer interactions with employees, and putting a heavier emphasis on mobile payments in general.
Major changes to Apple’s retail structure have already been made
Apple has had some setbacks over the past year that have placed it in a precarious position when it comes to the mobile space. Ahrendt is expected to help the company overcome the problems of its past and enter into a new era of success. She has already made serious changes to the company’s retail ecosystem that have been well received by her fellow executives and the company’s employees.
Apple and China UnionPay partner to boost mobile commerce
Apple has entered into a partnership with China UnionPay concerning a new mobile payments service. This may be a big move for Apple, who has been somewhat cautious with its participation in the mobile commerce field. Apple has been keen to avoid some of the pitfalls that its counterparts have fallen victim to with their own mobile commerce endeavors. In partnering with China UnionPay, Apple may be ready to break into the mobile payments space more aggressively.
New service to facilitate mobile payments at some 3 million locations throughout China
The new service will allow people throughout China to make payments from their iOS devices. Using the service, consumers can make payments at some 3 million “QuickPass” point-of-sale systems that are located throughout China. Apple and China UnionPay are also working together to develop a similar solution that will allow consumers to make mobile purchases in Apple’s physical retail stores operating in China.
Service made to comply with Chinese mobile commerce standards
The mobile payments service designed by the two companies complies with the standards issues by the People’s Bank of China. These standards are meant to regulate the growing mobile commerce sector throughout the country, adding stability and security for consumers and businesses alike. All mobile commerce services that are being launched in China are required to adhere to these standards but the standards themselves have been the subject of criticism among consumers and some of the country’s largest e-commerce organizations. The standards had initially placed a limit on how much money people could spend from their mobile devices, which would have significantly hindered the continued growth of mobile commerce throughout the country.
Apple is growing bolder with its mobile plans
Apple is growing more cavalier with its interests in the mobile payments space. The company has been eager to avoid the problems that currently exist in the mobile commerce market, taking time to develop solutions that circumvent these issues or solve them outright. Apple has been somewhat secretive with its plans concerning mobile commerce, but as these plans inch closer to fruition, the company may be growing bolder when it comes to mobile payments.
