“Walk into any Apple Retail Store when it opens in the morning and you might notice that all of the new MacBook Pro notebooks with retina display are positioned at exactly the same angle,” Carmine Gallo reports for Forbes. “Employees who open the store use an iPhone app as a level to tilt all the screens to exactly the same angle (the [free] Simply Angle app is a popular choice to measure degree of inclination). How Apple positions the angle of computer screens is just one of the fascinating nuggets of information I learned after spending one year researching the Apple Store experience.”
“The Apple Store pays attention to every detail. You might think that Apple positions all its notebook computers for aesthetic reasons. That’s partly true. The tables are uncluttered and the products are clean,” Gallo reports. “But the main reason notebook computers screens are slightly angled is to encourage customers to adjust the screen to their ideal viewing angle—in other words, to touch the computer! It’s also why all computers and iPads in the Apple Store are loaded with apps and software and connected to the Internet. Apple wants you to see the display for yourself and to experiment with apps and web sites to experience the power and performance of the devices. Customers in an Apple Retail Store can spend all the time they want playing with the devices and using the Internet—nobody will pressure them to leave.”
Much more in the full article here.
The trojan horse
I thought for sure this would be a FUD story about some alleged problem with the new displays.
Not FUD.
The other I was in a regular Apple reseller store, and noticed that all the computer screens, including iMac screens were tilted in the same way, at an angle which is slightly revolting, and immediately causes you to adjust it (yeah, TOUCH it) to the angle you are used to.
As I was leaving, the store attendant walked up to the computer and readjusted the angle to the recommended one.
I wonder how that job description reads? 🙂
[trying to think of a play on the word “straight” here…] 🙂
And it works! My iPad (3) purchase was based in part on seeing the National Geographic Magazine loaded up (on an earlier model) at the Apple Store, and being able to browse through it.
True…I’ve seen individuals doing their personal banking and surfing on Macs in the Apple Store where I live, and they didn’t pressure him to leave.
So long as they keep their internet surfing family friendly, the Apple store employees won’t interfere. They want you to try out and use their products, they know the products will sell themselves.
Yes it really works to allow people to touch Apple’s junk, as it were. When the iPad first came out I went to my local Apple store and spent a half hour watching School Of Rock on one and being amazed at how good it looked. I sucessfully fought the urge to buy it, though. Good thing. That iPad will be obsolete very soon when iOS 6 comes out.
I resisted the urge to buy a brand new iPad and bought a refurbished one instead. Sold that and bought an iPad 3. Gorgeous.
…good thing too, that was two years ago…
heaven forbid your 499 purchase was obsolete 2.5 years later when the iOS6 comes out. Geez…
It’s easy to tell when a piece of electronic or computer gear is obsolete:
If you can buy it, it’s obsolete.
+1
Excepting Apple. Most Apple gear is much longer-lived than any other manufacturer’s “junk.”
Put a cork in it, turd brain.
Oma, Oma, Oma. Time to get back to Opa and leave the corks along. Opa wants Oma so bad…
“obsolete very soon when iOS 6 comes out.”
You mean when iOS 6 comes out my iPad is going to be useless and I won’t be able to continue buy apps or content for it?
Or do you mean it just won’t run the latest version of the OS? Which means at that point, it’ll be just as useful as it is today and has been for the passed 2 years.
SNAP!!
Confused.
Headline makes it sound like this story is specific to the new MacBook Pro.
When I use to work for Apple, we use to use protractor style poster board cut out with the exact angle. It was part of our closing duties to clean all the display and angle them. Apple takes great care in how the displays are setup. From how the wires are wrapped on the iPod station, to the exact placement of the acrylics was all precise.
I am going to go out on a limb here and question how 70 degrees of open angle is an accurate statement. For a clamshell should it not be 180-70 = 110 degree of open angle from the closed position. Unless Apple actually has all the lids in a somewhat shut position which I have never seen happen personally. And I have had my fair share of hanging out at Apple stores.
you are correct. The app reads 70° but doesn’t take into account the other 90°.
It’s 70º because that’s not open enough to see the screen. You have to touch the computer to be able to see the screen, which is the point of the article. Apple wants you to touch the hardware and stay in the store as long as you like.
Compare that to the current Wal-Mart iPad display, with the device running a demo and completely untouchable under an acrylic enclosure. I don’t see how WM will ever be able to move to a store-in-store setup. I don’t think it’s in their DNA.
The angle also probably has something to do with minimizing room lighting glare on glossy screens. Ever notice at Best Buy how they tilt TVs, and light the area, to minimize reflections?
To be fair, I don’t ever ever remember being in a store where I’ve been pressured to leave.
A 70˚ angle is too confusing? Really?! You need a graphic representation? Ok, here it is… /_
you are correct. The app reads 70° but doesn’t take into account the other 90°.
nope. Too steep.
The article goes on to reiterate what I have always said: Apple sells an experience, not just products. Interesting to read the detail that they plan this out too, though.
Guess what degree the laptops at the Microsoft store will be tilted to after this?
You can’t. You’ll get the BSOD if you try to tilt it to 70°. Microsoft Bob will pop up and tell you that 70° is not the optimum viewing angle, frustrating employees who are trying to carry out the boss’ orders.
But look to Samesung to start tilting their copycat tablets, showing the angle of tilt to customers, telling them it’s the same as Apple’s tilt. Sheesh. You can’t win.
Oh yes, they’ll all copy Apple, causing the potential customers to adjust the screen themselves—and discover right away just how cheap and plasticky the whole product feels.
The scene in “It’s a Wonderful Life” where George Bailey shakes Mr. Potter’s hand comes to mind….
(What’dya know, it’s on YouTube. Skip to about 5:00. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjTiqWr_Z-Y)
Wrong, me and my 15 year son were advised to “Not play” on the MacBooks at the CHicago Apple Store. We were as stated in the article playing and trying out new features of lion and having never used a MacBook before, we were familiarizing ourselves with notebook specific features. We were somewhat put off by this that we purchased our MacBook from B & H Photo instead, sure Apple gets our money, but it didn’t go thru that store…
Really? The one on Michigan Ave? You were told to not use the computer there by an apple employee?
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of such a thing. Please expand.