Arc'teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc'teryx)
Vancouver-based outdoor clothing and climbing gear brand Arc’teryx has unveiled a first-in-Canada store concept in the affluent Westmount area of Montreal. The 1,500 square foot location is smaller than other Arc’teryx stores and is branded as ‘Arc’type’, a concept which first launched in the United States a few months ago.
The Westmount Arc’type store is located at 4868 Sherbrooke Street West in a beautiful historic grey stone retail complex housing several businesses in a row. The Arc’type store carries a range of the brand’s most celebrated designs, including award-winners, that were specifically selected to help introduce visitors to the store to Arc’teryx. The store features a light assortment of men’s and women’s jackets, pants and accessories in select colours and sizes.
The Westmount store is the eighth for the Arc’type concept. Since June, Arc’teryx launched the new store concept in the United States where six stores operate in the San Francisco and New York City markets. That includes stores in San Francisco, Palo Alto and Walnut Creek in California as well as on Bleeker Street, the Flatiron District and the Upper West Side in New York City. An Arc’type store opened earlier this month in Covent Garden, London UK.
Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)Click image for interactive Google Map
The Arc’type stores are designed to be smaller in size than the other Arc’teryx brand stores to limit overhead costs, maximize retail space opportunities, test new markets efficiently, minimize carbon emissions, and expedite the store opening lead time.
Minimal furnishings and accents characterize most Arc’type stores which feature a modular bracket system called the Toja Grid system that allows for simple and fast set up. The modular bracket system can also be easily disassembled and repurposed for another store.
One unique feature of Arc’type stores is the fact that they are designed virtually using 3D imaging platform Matterport, which allowed the brand’s retail design and retail marketing teams to conceptualize, measure, and design the stores remotely.
Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)
The 3D imaging platform eliminated the need for travel which the company said minimized the environmental impact while coordinating the store design quickly and safely during the pandemic.
Arc’teryx hasn’t confirmed if any more Arc’type concept stores will be opening in the Canadian market. Given the flexibility of the small-format concept, it could be the case that more will open to test the waters in new markets by securing smaller spaces. Such a concept makes sense at this time.
Arc’teryx was founded in North Vancouver in 1989 and the company has a network of over 80 stores globally as well as over 3,000 wholesale accounts.
Additional Images from Arc’teryx in Westmount, Montreal
Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)Arc’teryx Arc’type Concept Store in Westmount, Montreal (Photo: Arc’teryx)
Vision and strategy. On their own, each has merits. Vision provides a prognostication of the future, informing the aim or direction in which to head, while strategy determines the approach to be taken in order to arrive at the desired destination or outcome. For many retailers and brands, these fundamentals of business are all too often sloganized, rendering them virtually meaningless and ineffective. However, when thoughtfully developed, they can be combined to significantly impact the trajectory of any operation, instilling clarity and purpose, and advising the creation of a tactical roadmap that leads to success and growth.
For a best-in-class case study of the positive results generated by a clear vision and adept strategy, one need not look any further than Sleep Country Canada. On the heels of a number of clever acquisitions and partnership developments, the country’s leading omnichannel specialty sleep retailer recently announced the expansion of its partnership with Walmart Canada and the launch of its innovative Sleep Country Express and Dormez-vous Express stores. It’s a decision that Stewart Schaefer, President and incoming CEO of Sleep Country and Dormez-vous, says ensures continued progress for the company and sustained evolution of the brand.
“From a business perspective, partnering with really relevant brands, both in terms of merchandising and product as well as the social and corporate values they stand for, is really important to us,” he says. “We’ve been very careful and deliberate with respect to the partnerships we develop. A company like Walmart Canada, which exemplifies a lot of fabulous things, is a great partner. And the launch of our Sleep Country Express and Dormez-vous Express stores will allow us to get our brand and product in front of even more Canadians on a daily basis. Philosophically, part of our job and commitment is to never become complacent, and to continuously challenge ourselves to make it easier for Canadians to access the Sleep Country brand. We recognize that the retailers that become complacent are the ones that don’t survive. And those that continue to innovate and understand the shopping journey from the consumer’s perspective are the ones that thrive. The expansion of our partnership with Walmart Canada is a great example of this innovation.”
Expanding partnership
Image: Walmart.ca
The partnership between two of the most well-known brands in the country began back in March 2019 when Sleep Country’s Bloom collection of mattresses was made available on Walmart Canada’s online marketplace. In the short time that’s followed, the partnership has blossomed with all of the specialty sleep retailer’s mattresses under $1,000, as well as a curated selection of sleep accessories, now accessible on Walmart.ca. Through the expanded partnership, highlighted by the opening of ten pilot stores – seven in Ontario and three in Quebec – the company has been able to broaden its customer reach and maintain its growth around channel innovation. With an average footprint of approximately 500 square feet, prominently situated inside Walmart Canada licensee locations at the front of the stores adjacent to the checkout lines, Sleep Country Express and Dormez-vous Express stores further increase the visibility of the brand. And, according to Schaefer, the introduction of the brand-new concept also represents an important addition to the ways by which the Sleep Country brand can be accessed by Canadians, offering them something new while still providing the expert customer service that Sleep Country has become known for.
“We’ve made sure to procure the most popular SKUs for these locations,” he asserts. “The look and feel of the Express stores will be very similar to the Sleep Country colours and branding with an experience centred around ease and convenience. The back wall of each store houses compartments containing bed-in-a-box products that can be pulled out and purchased via cash-and-carry right there. In addition, we also offer our white-glove delivery service if the customer wants to make the purchase in-store and have the product delivered to their home. There will also be three mattresses on the floor for customers to try and test. And, the stores also feature something we call the ‘crib’, which resembles a bookcase, that holds about five mattresses which can be pulled out to test as well. In addition to mattresses, our Express stores will feature a curated assortment of our most popular sleep accessories including pillows, sheets, mattress and pillow protectors, headboards and adjustable bases. Most importantly, however, the stores will be staffed by Sleep Country’s expert associates who will be there to assist customers and answer any questions that they might have.”
Crest of incredible growth
Schaefer describes the partnership with Walmart Canada as a mutually advantageous one in which both retailers reap rewards, benefitting from the other’s brand strength and appeal. However, it’s not the only development of the like that Sleep Country has orchestrated recently. In fact, the company’s been extremely active on the acquisition and partnership front. In 2018, it finalized a deal to acquire Endy – Canada’s largest online mattress brand – while also teaming up with Europe’s leading mattress-in-a-box provider, Simba. A little more than a year later, in October 2020, Sleep Country became the exclusive Canadian retailer of Purple – the leading mattress-in-a-box creator in the U.S. And, most recently, in June of this year, the specialty sleep retailer announced a new partnership with another renowned brand, Best Buy Canada, equipping the electronics retailers’ online marketplace with a curated selection of Sleep Country’s sleep solutions. Supporting much of these efforts has been the fully transactional SleepCountry.ca website (Dormezvous.com in the province of Quebec), which was launched back in November 2019. These partnerships, acquisitions and digital enhancements are emblematic of the retailer’s penchant to grow and the results, says Schaefer, of many years of hard work and determination.
“People are starting to observe a lot of innovative new ideas being generated by Sleep Country,” he admits. “But these things have been building behind the scenes for a long time now. During this time, the entire team has been incredibly focused and committed to remaining on course with respect to the Sleep Country brand and the values and innovative thinking that have served as the foundation of the company for so many years. We’ve been clear with our vision and have persevered through many recent challenges in order to start to reinvent the way retail is perceived by all stakeholders. All of our partners have been tremendous to work with and have been instrumental in our efforts to continue innovating and delivering our brand to more Canadians across the country.”
Filling customer needs
Given the success of Sleep Country’s current relationship with Walmart Canada, combined with the fact that the retail giant with the lowest everyday price operates 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day, there remain immense opportunities to grow the partnership further. Schaefer stresses that the Express pilot locations are meant to serve as a testing ground for Sleep Country in order for the brand to properly gauge the effectiveness and success of the new concept. Based on its track record and performance to date, however, it seems that Canada’s specialty sleep retailer, which currently operates 287 stores, 17 fulfillment centres and 2 storage hubs across Canada, may be on to something extraordinary.
“With respect to our Express stores, we’re going to test, test and test some more,” he says. “Over the next few months as we monitor and analyze results and performance of the concept, we’ll be able to hone in on what works and what doesn’t in order to determine the optimal experience for the customer. And, if results prove to be what I expect and all goes well, then I can foresee comfortably growing these locations by between 60 and 100 across the country. In fact, we may end up rolling out even more than that given the flexible, adaptive nature of the concept that we’ve created. The Express store doesn’t need to be exclusive to Walmart Canada locations. They can be anywhere, as long as the experience the stores offer fills a customer need and increases engagement with the Sleep Country brand.”
Shifting consumer preferences
With respect to the retail experience, it’s one that Schaefer says continues to change with ever-evolving consumer preferences that have been significantly influenced by impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. As consumer preferences shift, so do the ways in which retailers must engage with their audiences. And, considering all of the channels and devices available to today’s consumer to facilitate and support research, review and purchase of products and services, the task at hand for retailers seems as complex as it is nebulous. However, as Schaefer points out, Sleep Country’s endless curiosity and propensity to consistently improve its offering enables its ability, providing it with an impetus, to continuously broaden its understanding of the customer and their journey with the brand.
“The lid has been lifted on ecommerce,” he says. “There’s no question about that. The acceleration of online shopping is one of the biggest results of the pandemic on retail. However, what we’ve also come to realize through the pandemic is that the physical, experiential component to retail is perhaps more important now than it ever has been. People like to visit the stores of their favourite brands. They like to touch and feel product. They like to experience wonderful atmospheres. Only, today, it represents one piece of the omnichannel experience. In the end, people want choice. So, we need to be cognizant of the fact that the retail journey is evolving and including more touch points today than at any time previous. Fortunately for Sleep Country, the team is made up of curious souls who have embraced these shifts in consumer behaviour and changes to the landscape to continue pushing the brand forward, broadening our community of customers as we continue to grow our sleep ecosystem.”
Removal of borders and limitations
Recounting the work that’s been put in by Schaefer and his team over the course of the past five-plus years in order to support the success that Sleep Country is currently enjoying is no doubt impressive. Its collective vision and strategy have lent extremely well toward the creation of a roadmap that seems to be leading the brand to further expansion and enhancements. The digitization of the business, the clever acquisitions the brand has made and the innovative partnerships its developed with one-time competitors are all results of the team’s dedicated focus. And, as Schaefer reveals, there’s still plenty of road for the company to cover as it continues to make incredible gains and grow the Sleep Country brand even further.
“Our brand and business used to be defined by the landscape and geography of Canada. People looked at us as a brick-and-mortar retailer. But the world has changed and the digital transformation that’s been accelerated by the pandemic has just opened up borders. Does that mean borders outside of Canada? Maybe one day. But, most importantly, the digitization of the industry has removed limitations with respect to the ways by which we can reach our customers, beyond the geographical footprint that we’ve created from coast to coast. So, we’re going to continue exploring and talking to innovative and relevant brands that have the same vision of the future as we do and partnering with them to deliver excellent value. And we’re going to maintain our focus on our customer, the ways they want to engage with the Sleep Country brand and how we can continue to improve on the service we provide for them.”
While the pandemic has had a negative impact on many Canadian businesses over the past 18 months, other segments of the economy, and of the retail industry, have shown tremendous growth.
Robert Bigler
Take eBay for example. The company recently reported Q2 2021 revenue of $2.7 billion overall, which was up 14 per cent on an as-reported basis and a five per cent increase in the number of sellers using the platform.
That overall momentum has also been evident in Canada as well.
Rob Bigler, the company’s Canadian General Manager, said the past year or so has been “crazy” and “it’s been great.”
He said eBay has helped many small businesses in Canada. In April of last year, eBay launched its Up & Running initiative, an accelerator program specifically designed to support retailers, without an e-commerce presence, transition to selling online.
“Our numbers went crazy. Buyers were coming to eBay. Sellers were coming to eBay . . . eBay has always been the champion of small business in Canada. We saw so many Canadian small businesses come online and so many of them were able to connect with consumers,” said Bigler.
Image: eBay
“They had to close their doors but they were able to find actually new customers online. That’s one of the great things that eBay provides. It provides that access, that doorway, that marketplace to the world. A lot of our sellers that came on, a lot of Canadian small businesses that came on to eBay during the pandemic, I think were pleasantly surprised when they realized oh my gosh I can sell to 190 countries. And my sales are actually growing. And this e-commerce space isn’t as scary and daunting as I thought it was before.
“And they’re staying. That’s the other thing. Now that things are starting to open up, a lot of consumers have realized that to be shopping online is more convenient and it allows me to find things I might not be able to find in the store. So the consumers are staying. Our traffic numbers have gone down a little bit but they’re holding much higher than two years ago. And our seller counts are higher than they’ve ever been.”
Bigler said e-commerce is here to stay. Many retailers a few years ago were reluctant to go online or they were afraid of online. But now those same retailers are realizing they can improve their business with an online presence.
“I think the buyers, the consumers, will be using e-commerce more than they ever have. But I think five or 10 years ago it was a bricks versus clicks conversation. Now I think the traditional retailers who were either reluctant before or are so busy with their day to day anyway and just didn’t have time to get online, now they realize it helps my business and my business isn’t just in the store,” he said.
Bigler said eBay is a technology company that connects people. That has allowed the global marketplace to become more common. Consumers in Canada have realized it’s easier to have access to people around the world.
“We want to be here and provide a marketplace for everybody. That was what our founders started the business for 26 years ago,” he said. “Our purpose statement is to empower people to create economic opportunity. And it’s a purpose statement that we live by,” he said.
Bigler said there are three models that small businesses use when they sell on eBay. The first is that they just use eBay as their e-commerce platform. The second group, which is probably the most common, is the multi-channel businesses that have their own store, probably their own local website which attracts their catchment area, and then they have eBay as their global marketplace. The third group uses eBay as an inventory clearance platform, but that group is smaller than it once was.
“The biggest thing we’re doing in Canada, and honestly that we’re doing around the world, is we would call it our focus category strategy if you will. Our priority category strategy . . . I come from a strategy background and it just makes sense. We’re starting within the categories where we have a competitive edge and we’re doubling down on those categories.”
Bigler said that before the company may have spent too much time and effort going across all categories. That blanket approach doesn’t always work .
So the company is looking at categories with enthusiasts such as trading cards. There’s also the spectrum of value including a certified refurbished program where it works with brands to offer verified products with a two-year warranty. Also, collectable sneakers are a hot commodity.
“What I love is we’re seeing loyalty. We’re seeing buyers coming back again and again. They’re coming back more frequently and they’re also cross-purchasing into other categories,” said Bigler.
“eBay’s back. We’re already the second largest non-grocery e-commerce player in Canada. Canadians transacted more than $1.5 billion on the site last year. It’s exciting because we’re winning. Customers are talking about us and the sellers are benefiting and the sellers are super pumped because these small businesses in Canada are now like wow this is rocking and rolling. This is fun.”
Best Buy Canada has launched a new Mentorship and Accelerator Program (MAP) aimed at connecting and supporting entrepreneurs from Black and Indigenous communities to the retailer’s network and helping them by bringing products to market.
Zayn Jaffer
“Business is all about people and connections. We are thrilled to launch this program to offer our significant infrastructure and expertise to support entrepreneurs from Black and Indigenous communities,” said Zayn Jaffer, Best Buy Canada Category Officer and Vice President in Merchandising.
“Over the years, we have built phenomenal relationships with our vendor partners, and I am excited to do the same with the professionals that will join Best Buy MAP. I can’t wait to see what products may emerge from this program.
“Although there are many communities which are underrepresented in business, we identified both the Black and Indigenous communities as underrepresented in the tech space. As Canada’s largest electronics retailer, we are excited to work more closely with these two communities to bring their tech products to market.”
Jaffer said that in 2020 Best Buy made several bold commitments to address underrepresentation in all parts of its business. The commitments include measurable goals to achieve by 2025. Building off these commitments, the Best Buy team has identified an initiative to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and other people of colour) tech product entrepreneurs when launching their business with Best Buy in Canada.
“One of the biggest challenges for a small business or start-up is the lack of access to senior counsel in areas like business development, distribution, and other key resources like marketing, HR, and retail. As Canada’s largest electronics retailer, Best Buy’s network includes access to robust resources from various external and internal stakeholders,” said Jaffer.
“A business mentorship program takes the already existing system and adapts it to support BIPOC entrepreneurs with a focus on Black and Indigenous owned businesses that sell tech products. The Best Buy team is constantly in search of new vendors and products. This mentorship program will help new vendors benefit from the Best Buy network and resources to help advance the success of their business.”
The application period is open September 15 to November 30.
Jaffer said this is the first year of the pilot program and the company wants to learn and adapt with the chosen applicants. The core purpose of this program is to support these communities and it’s imperative Best Buy builds the program around them, tailoring to each participant’s specific needs.
He said entrepreneurship is vital for growing the Canadian economy and entrepreneurs are responsible for 48 per cent of Canada’s GDP. Entrepreneurs are leading the way in job creation and thrive in communities that have a supportive culture and ecosystem.
“Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship of Black and Indigenous businesses will catapult Canadian businesses into the global market,” he said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation, according to research from Statistics Canada. The research found that businesses owned by visible minorities, Indigenous people and women had their COVID-related requests to financial institutions rejected more frequently than the rate for all businesses.”
Jaffer said Best Buy has always had a proven track record of launching start-ups, small businesses, and bringing their products to market in the technology space.
“When you look at a small business or an entrepreneur in some of these under-represented communities around Black and Indigenous areas, they’ve traditionally not had access to senior leadership within some of these bigger companies and how to kind of move forward,” he said. “We want to give them some form of mentorship in areas like business development, supply chain, distribution, marketing, ecommerce, retail. And then also have them have access to some of our external stakeholders and putting that all together to help them bring those products to market.”
Best Buy at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre – Image by Dustin Fuhs
Jaffer said because this is a pilot year for the program there are no specifics about range or size of businesses involved or numbers of different companies.
“I think what we’ll end up doing is evaluate these companies and where they are in terms of a life cycle. Do they have a prototype ready? Have they got financing in place? How far away are they from actually coming to market? And then determine is there the right fit? Can we support this specific entrepreneur and really elevate their product coming to market?”
In terms of products, Jaffer said Best Buy is looking for anything that is tech specific. It could be a cell phone case. It could be a computer accessory. It could be a small appliance. Or it could be a smart home product.
“At the end of the day, entrepreneurship is a pretty vital part to growing the overall economy,” he said.
Former Four Seasons Hotel at CF Pacific Centre (PHOTO: GOOGLE STREET VIEW)
Multiple sources have come forward to inform Retail Insider that they’ve heard that a Ritz Carlton Hotel will be opening in the former Four Seasons Hotel complex at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver. The hotel property connected to the shopping centre was vacated by Four Seasons hotel in early 2020 just before the pandemic.
Retail Insider is unable to confirm the information and thus is classifying the information as a ‘rumour’ worth noting, given the multiple sources.
The Four Seasons operated on the site for about 44 years — the 372 room hotel soaring 30 floors and more than 300 feet opened in April of 1976. The Pacific Centre shopping complex was new at the time and was anchored at it south end by a 630,000 square foot Eaton’s department store.
The Four Seasons Hotel once had a second-level entry directly into the women’s designer floor of Holt Renfrew which once occupied the space in the mall now occupied by H&M. Holt Renfrew relocated a block north within CF Pacific Centre in 2007 to a much larger space as part of a large-format concept for Holt Renfrew.
Four Seasons Hotel PHOTO: GOOGLE STREET VIEW
Several retailers operated in the lobby of the Four Seasons hotel over the years including Canada’s only storefront for luxury jeweller Roberto Coin. That store shut in 2019.
An Apple flagship store is currently under construction beside the former Four Seasons Hotel at CF Pacific Centre. The store will replace a park space and a glass entryway into the mall that resembled an igloo.
The hotel building on West Georgia Street most recently occupied by the Trump Hotel and Private Residences was originally intended to be a Ritz Carlton Hotel — plans changed and the Trump banner proceeded and the hotel component shut earlier this year. A source told Retail Insider that a new independent hotel brand will be announced to replace it with details to come.
Ritz Carlton operates two other hotels in Canada, including one in Toronto’s Entertainment District and another in downtown Montreal on Sherbrooke Street West. The Toronto and Montreal Ritz hotels feature expensive condominium apartments above the hotel components. In Vancouver, it would be unlikely that a substantial residential component would be included given the low ceiling heights in the CF Pacific Centre hotel tower.
We’ll follow up on this bulletin when we are able to confirm rumours about the Ritz Carlton’s move into the Vancouver market via CF Pacific Centre.
The Bay Named Official Style Partner for the Toronto Raptors
The Hudson’s Bay Company has announced a multi-year partnership with NBA team Toronto Raptors which will see newly formed digital division The Bay become the Official Style Partner of the sports franchise.
The four year partnership will see activations and ‘digitally-integrated moments’ that will include co-branding of the player tunnel, branded courtside LEDs and ‘In-Game Moments.’ The Bay will host home game arena ‘take-over’ nights which will include support of Hudson’s Bay Charter for Change, a Hudson’s Bay Foundation initiative that works with partner organizations including MLSE Foundation, the charitable arm of MLSE that aims to accelerate racial equity in Canada.
Later in the season, The Bay says that it will unveil an exclusive product collaboration as part of the partnership with the NBA to supply collector-worthy apparel with net proceeds from the sale to support Hudson’s Bay Charter for Change.
Jordan Vader
“We are proud to partner with an iconic Canadian brand that many of our fans know and love,” said Jordan Vader, VP, Global Partnerships, MLSE. “In addition to the exciting opportunities The Bay has planned, we look forward to the positive impact Hudson’s Bay Charter for Change will have, and the great work MLSE Foundation is doing in the community to support youth facing barriers.“
Allison Litzinger
“We are excited to team up with these renowned organizations that encourage expression of style and experiences, align with our values, and The Bay’s brand mission to help Canadians live a colourful life,” says Allison Litzinger, VP Brand at Hudson’s Bay Company. “This partnership will continue to create discovery and delight for all The Bay has to offer, especially for Raptors fans across the country. It’s a true superteam.”
The October season tip-off marks the start of the partnership where HBC’s iconic ‘stripes’ will become visible as part of the Toronto Raptors partnership.
The concept, which made its Canadian debut in 2020 at CF Sherway Gardens, aims to combine brick-and-mortar retail and virtual components for a modernized and interactive shopping experience.
CF Toronto Eaton Centre location closed the first week of May 2021 to allow for the full renovation to take place. The store made its debut last week, with new features that provide a highly-engaging customer experience.
The centrepiece of the design is the Crystal Bar, where guests can spend time discovering the products with variable lighting settings on the mirrors.
Swarovski “Crystal Bar” at CF Toronto Eaton Centre – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
When designing a retail concept, the brand takes into account the changing demographics and atmosphere.
“When developing the concept, we really tried to learn from our consumers and address their needs,” Robert Buchbauer, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO Consumer Goods Business shared previously.
“From augmented reality screens catering to shoppers who want to quickly select products, to the Sparkle Bar where people can enjoy trying on products for as long as they like, we believe we have created a memorable in-store experience for everyone.”
Swarovski at CF Toronto Eaton Centre – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
“The new Swarovski retail concept truly puts consumers at the center: inviting them to experiment and style their sparkle with our products, giving them the opportunity to mix and match, like in a creative studio, but in an environment designed to integrate physical and digital dimensions,” added Michele Molon, EVP Omnichannel and Commercial Operations. “We are breaking the traditional distance between staff and customers, facilitating an interactive and continuous dialogue with them.”
Swarovski has showcased this concept worldwide, with stores in Milan, Shanghai, Paris, Beijing and California seeing the transformation.
The series of openings will represent the fourth generation of Swarovski stores and the latest iteration of the brand’s retail approach over the past 125 years.
Swarovski at CF Toronto Eaton Centre – Photo by Dustin Fuhs
The Swarovski Crystal Business is run by the fifth generation of family members and has a global reach with approximately 3,000 stores in around 170 countries, more than 29,000 employees, and revenue of about 2.7 billion euros in 2018.
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California-based Apple Inc. held its annual fall Apple event announcement on Tuesday to the joy of technology enthusiasts around the globe. The tech giant is perpetually tight-lipped on what will be featured during its events and iPhones are typically the mainstay of the fall events with other surprises sprinkled in. The 2021 event was no different as it became the typical iPhone launch announcement as well as unveiling a couple other new products. There were a total of five new hardware products introduced: iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7, the iPad and the iPad mini.
Apple Fall 2021 Event. Photo: Apple
For context into the world of Apple Events, this fall Apple event (which we will informally term as the “Fall Apple Event 2021”) loosely forms a staple for the Apple Events calendar. While Apple is known to call special Apple Events whenever it wants, the fall event is usually accompanied by the following two calendar events each year:
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC): This event typically announces the newest Apple Operating Systems (OS) to the developer community. Mainly to give some ‘runway’ to allow applications to be updated/developed before their release on the new products announcements/releases in the fall event. The latest was held in June 2021 which introduced the latest apple operating systems for iPhone (iOS 15), iPad (iPadOS 15), Mac (macOS Monterey) and Apple Watch (watchOS 8).
Spring Apple Event 2021: The spring event typically announces another round of follow-up devices after the fall event. The most recent was held in April 2021 introducing the new iMac, iPad Pro, iPhone 12 in Purple, AirTags and Apple TV 4K.
Many Apple enthusiasts set their clocks to the fall, spring and WWDC events. The 2020 event calendar was thrown askew with COVID splitting announcements up, including:
September 2020: Apple Watch, the new iPad Air and two new Apple services (Apple Fitness+ and Apple One Bundle) were announced. See our review of Apple Fitness+ from its launch in December 2020.
October 2020: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, HomePod Mini and MagSafe accessories were announced
November 2020: MacBook Air, Macbook Pro, Mac mini were announced.
iPhone 13 Pro
“iPhone 13 Pro” and “iPhone 13 Pro Max”. Photo: Apple.
The feather in Apple’s cap is its iPhone Pro product which the company has released faithfully since iPhone 11 Pro in 2019. The iPhone 13 Pro is offered in two sizes: The “iPhone 13 Pro” and “iPhone 13 Pro Max”. The most visible difference between the two is the screen size (6.1 inch and 6.7 inch, respectively).
“iPhone 13 Pro” and “iPhone 13 Pro Max” screen sizes. Photo: Apple.
“iPhone 13 Pro” and “iPhone 13 Pro Max” dimensions. Photo: Apple.
Both versions offer the same capacity options (128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB) as well as the same A15 chip, cameras, Face ID, sensors, iOS, etc. but differences in battery performance with the “Max” version’s additional size to have a bigger battery.
“iPhone 13 Pro” and “iPhone 13 Pro Max” battery spec differences. Photo: Apple.
Differences between iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro
While the price point between the two generations is unchanged, the main differences besides the battery we mentioned above included:
Internal Capacity: The largest internal space increased to 1TB with no elimination of the smallest internal space option (128GB) from last year.
Camera: Apple continued to emphasize its improvements to the camera functionality in 2021 as it did in 2020. The iPhone Pro series has the same three cameras on the back (Telephoto, Ultra Wide and Wide Cameras) with improvements to low light as well as wider ultrawide apertures and more optical zoom for the telephoto lens. Night Mode stabilizing is now available for both Pro versions, instead of the Max version for the iPhone 12.
Screen: The ‘notch’ at the top of the iPhone 13 is smaller. Otherwise, they look the same.
Chip (aka, performance): The new A15 chip (versus the 2020 A14 chip) is faster as one would assume. It comes with a 5-core graphics processor (GPU) versus the 4-core from 2020.
Other differences were noted including a 28% brighter display and new colour options (such as Sierra Blue).
For those looking between the iPhone 13 Pro versus the non-Pro lineup, the processors are the same (A15 Bionic chip) with 6-cores for all models; however, the graphics processor (GPU has an extra core in the Pro series).
iPhone 13
“iPhone 13 mini” and “iPhone 13”. Photo: Apple.
Not to be confused with the “Pro” version, the iPhone launch announcement included the non-Pro “iPhone 13” coming in two sizes: The “iPhone 13 mini” and “iPhone 13”. The most visible difference between the two is the screen size (5.4 inch and 6.1 inch, respectively). And yes, the larger “iPhone 13” has the same screen size as the “iPhone 13 Pro”.
“iPhone 13 mini” and “iPhone 13” dimensions. Photo: Apple.
“iPhone 13 mini” and “iPhone 13” screen sizes. Photo: Apple.
While the non-Pro version of the iPhone 13 mini and non-mini do not offer the 1TB internal space offering as the “Pro” version, it has an ample offering of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB for both non-Pro versions.
Differences between iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 versions
While the price point between the two generations is unchanged, the main differences besides the battery we mentioned above included:
Camera: The iPhone series (non-Pro) has the same two cameras on the back (Ultra Wide and Wide Cameras) with improvements to low light in the 12 MP main camera. The most dramatic camera improvements were definitely reserved for the Pro lineup.
Screen: The ‘notch’ at the top of the iPhone 13 is smaller. Otherwise, they look the same.
Chip (aka, performance): The new A15 chip (versus the 2020 A14 chip) is faster as one would assume. It comes with a 5-core graphics processor (GPU) versus the 4-core from 2020.
Other differences were noted like a 28% brighter display and new color options (like Pink).
iPhone 13 Availability
The iPhone Pro and iPhone 13 are currently available to view pricing on Apple’s website. Pre-orders begin on September 17 and shipping begins September 24, 2021.
iPhone Availability for September 2021. Photo: Apple
Apple has now retired the iPhone 12 Pro line from its website as well as the iPhone XR; however, it is retaining the iPhone 12 and iPhone SE on its website for customers as well. The iPhone 11 was also spotted on the website for purchase as well.
Apple Watch Series 7
Apple Watch Availability for September 2021. Series 7 is still pending. Photo: Apple
The new Apple Watch Series 7 was announced on Tuesday as well as the iPhone launch announcements. More details will come from Retail Insider and it is said to be ‘available later this fall’ and its key improvements are larger screen size and faster charging ability.
Apple iPad and iPad Mini
iPad Availability for September 2021. Photo: Apple
Apple’s baseline iPad and mini versions also had new versions announced on Tuesday. More details will come from Retail Insider; however, it is said to be available now for ordering being shipped September 24, 2021.
