Amazon To Sell Apple iPhones And iPads Ending Long-Standing Feud
It appears that the chilly relationship between Apple and Amazon has thawed a bit more. The two companies have announced that Amazon will now sell iPhones, iPads and other Apple products directly and via authorized sellers in the Amazon Marketplace.
Products that will now be available for sale on Amazon include the new iPhone XS/XS Max, iPhone XR, iPad Pro family, Apple Watch Series 4, Mac desktops and laptops, Apple TV, and Beats headphones. It should be noted that this is the first time that Amazon has ever sold [new] iPhones and iPads directly to customers, although the retailer has previously sold Mac computers. iPhones and iPads that have been available for sale in the past have either been through third-party sellers or sold “used” from Amazon Warehouse Deals.
If you recall, part of the recent bad blood between Apple and Amazon was a result of the latter pulling the Apple TV from its online catalog because the former didn't support the Amazon Prime Video app. However, Apple and Amazon buried the hatchet on the matter in December 2017 when the Amazon Prime Video app made its way to the Apple TV.
One Apple product that won't be sold directly by Amazon is the HomePod, which competes directly with the Echo family of digital assistants.
Although Apple hasn't yet publicly commented on this new sales partnership, Amazon issued the following statement, "Amazon is constantly working to enhance the customer experience, and one of the ways we do this is by increasing selection of the products we know customers want. We look forward to expanding our assortment of Apple and Beats products globally."
Third-party Amazon Marketplace sellers with Apple products listed on Amazon will have until January 4th to become certified as official Apple resellers or they will see their listings deleted. According to CNET, Amazon's Apple listings will start populating its site within the coming weeks.
