Apple Kills 60+ Accessory Options Online and In-Store

Apple Kills 60+ Accessory Options Online and In-Store
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It seems that Apple is silently killing off certain colors for official iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch accessories on both its online store and in brick-and-mortar outlets.

The move was first spotted by Japanese news site Macotakara, who noticed that a range of accessories had disappeared from Apple’s Japanese-language website. In total, nine iPhone 7 cases, 18 iPad cases, 13 iPad Smart covers, as well as 12 sports bands and seven nylon bands for the Apple Watch, were removed from the store. Several Nike and Hermes accessory options for the Watch were also killed off on Friday, the publication reported.

The phasing out seems to be the most severe in Japan, though a quick glance at Apple’s U.S. and U.K. sites reveals that there are missing color options in those countries, too. It’s worth noting, however, that some of the colors that have disappeared in Japan are present in the U.S., the U.K or both. All in all, the change seems indicative of a global trend for Apple’s retail sites.

As for why Apple is killing off some of its official products, there could be a few reasons behind it. For one, the company could be discontinuing certain colors or options that haven’t been as popular or profitable. Another likely possibility is that Apple is simplifying its lineup and allowing its stock to dry up ahead of new device launches this fall. It makes sense for the company to shift focus to creating new accessories for its upcoming products — especially if they’ll sport a new design that’s incompatible with previous devices.

Apple is largely expected to debut at least four new devices sometime in the fall, possibly in September. They include the highly anticipated, premium iPhone 8 and the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus incremental updates. Additionally, a third-generation Apple Watch with LTE capabilities is also on the roster.

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